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About

Miles Smith is a planetary scientist and robotics engineer whose research sits at the intersection of space exploration technology and lunar and ocean world science. His work spans robotic surface operations, lunar geology, and the engineering challenges of exploring icy moons. Smith has made notable contributions to the Moon Diver mission concept, an ambitious proposal to deploy a rappelling robot into the Mare Tranquillitatis pit — one of the Moon's most scientifically compelling geological features — to study exposed volcanic strata that could unlock mysteries about the Moon's thermal and volcanic history dating back billions of years. This work, cited over 48 times across two key papers, positions Smith as a leading voice in pit and lava tube exploration on the Moon. His contributions to robotic lunar surface operations (41 citations) further demonstrate his expertise in mission architecture and autonomous systems. More recently, Smith has expanded his research to Ocean Worlds, contributing to cryobot thermal modeling essential for penetrating the ice shells of moons like Europa and Enceladus. With over 100 cumulative citations, his work bridges fundamental planetary science with the engineering innovations needed to make next-generation solar system exploration a reality.