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About

Yanhong Zheng is a leading figure in extraterrestrial robotic sampling, with a focus on the mechanical interaction between drills and planetary regolith. Her most impactful work centers on the development and deployment of sampling systems for China’s Chang’E lunar missions. Zheng’s landmark 2023 paper on the Chang’E 5 robotic drill, which has garnered 20 citations, details the design and successful operation of a 2-meter-class drill that penetrated 1 meter into the lunar surface, collecting 259.72 grams of samples—a critical achievement for the first lunar sample return in over 40 years. She has also advanced real-time attitude measurement for industrial robots using inertial technology, improving manufacturing precision. Her most recent work (2025) applies contact indentation to predict surface sampling depth on the lunar far side, supporting the Chang’E 6 mission. By bridging terrestrial robotics with in-situ planetary science, Zheng’s contributions are essential to the success of China’s deep-space exploration program, providing the mechanical and operational foundation for autonomous sample acquisition on the Moon.