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About

Kurt W. Leucht is a leading robotics researcher at NASA, specializing in autonomous excavation, in-situ resource utilization (ISRU), and swarm robotics for space exploration. His most significant contribution is the design of the Regolith Advanced Surface Systems Operations Robot (RASSOR) 2.0, a novel excavation robot that addresses the critical challenge of collecting and moving large quantities of regolith on the Moon and Mars—a foundational capability for sustainable off-world operations. Leucht’s work on the ISRU Pilot Excavator (IPEx) further advances this goal, targeting the autonomous excavation of 10 metric tons of lunar regolith, a key milestone for the Artemis program. He also leads the Swarmathon competition, engaging students from minority-serving institutions in autonomous swarm robotics for resource search and collection. With over 60 citations across his portfolio, Leucht’s research directly supports NASA’s vision for human exploration, including the production of rocket fuel on Mars. His 2018 article in *IEEE Spectrum* vividly illustrates this future, describing autonomous robots mining and synthesizing propellant years before crew arrival. Leucht’s work bridges fundamental robotics research with practical, mission-critical applications, making him a pivotal figure in the next era of space exploration.