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About

D. L. Blaney is a leading planetary scientist whose work has fundamentally advanced our understanding of water on Mars and the Moon. A key figure in NASA’s Phoenix Mars Lander mission, Blaney contributed to the groundbreaking discovery and characterization of water ice in the Martian arctic. The seminal 2009 paper detailing H₂O at the Phoenix landing site has garnered over 559 citations, cementing its status as a cornerstone of Martian polar science. Blaney’s expertise extends to lunar exploration as a principal investigator for NASA’s Lunar Trailblazer mission, a pioneering small satellite selected under the SIMPLEx program. This mission aims to map the form, abundance, and distribution of lunar water, directly addressing the lunar water cycle and supporting future in-situ resource utilization. Earlier in their career, Blaney also advanced the field of robotic planetary science, developing machine vision and sample acquisition techniques for Mars landers. Through these contributions—from the icy soils of Mars to the shadowed craters of the Moon—Blaney has been instrumental in shaping our understanding of volatile cycles on rocky bodies, with a legacy of high-impact, mission-driven research.