Claire Pedersen

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About

Claire Pedersen is a planetary scientist whose work centers on the identification and characterization of lunar subsurface voids—specifically pits and lava tubes—as potential sites for long-term human habitation. Her most-cited study, “Lunar Pits and Lava Tubes for a Modern Ark” (2021), has garnered 5 citations and argues that these geologically stable features, formed when the Moon was volcanically active, could serve as natural shelters against radiation, micrometeorites, and extreme temperature swings. Pedersen’s major contribution lies in reframing these pits not merely as curiosities but as critical infrastructure for a permanent lunar base, effectively merging planetary geology with astrobiology and space architecture. Her work has been recognized for its practical vision, influencing discussions at NASA’s Lunar Surface Innovation Consortium. Though early in her career, Pedersen’s research provides a foundational blueprint for how humanity might one day live off-world, making her a rising voice in the field of extraterrestrial habitat design.