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About

C. Krause is a planetary scientist and engineer whose work has been central to advancing our understanding of the surface and subsurface properties of Mars and asteroids. A key contributor to NASA’s InSight mission, Krause played a leading role in the development and operation of the Heat Flow and Physical Properties Package (HP³), which aimed to make the first-ever direct measurement of Mars’ planetary heat flow—a landmark experiment detailed in their most-cited paper (146 citations). Krause also co-authored the definitive analysis of the HP³ “mole” penetrator’s struggle to burrow into the Martian regolith, providing critical insights into unexpected soil properties at the Elysium Planitia landing site. Beyond Mars, Krause contributed to the Mobile Asteroid Surface Scout (MASCOT), a shoebox-sized lander deployed by the Hayabusa2 mission to the asteroid Ryugu. Their work on the InSight robotic arm activities further demonstrates a rare combination of systems engineering, mission operations, and planetary science. With a career bridging two of the most ambitious planetary exploration missions of the decade, Krause’s research is essential reading for anyone interested in in-situ geophysics and the engineering challenges of exploring other worlds.