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About

Ting Zeng is a leading figure in extraterrestrial robotic drilling and lunar sample-return technology, whose work has been central to China’s Chang’E 5 mission. His primary research areas include planetary regolith mechanics, drill–soil interaction, and the design of autonomous sampling systems for space exploration. Zeng’s major contribution is the development and successful deployment of a 2-meter-class robotic drill that, in December 2020, penetrated 1 meter into the lunar regolith and collected 259.72 grams of samples—the first lunar sample return in over four decades. His paper detailing this achievement has garnered 20 citations, while his foundational study on the influence of lunar regolith compressibility on thick wall spiral drills, cited 13 times, provided critical design insights that ensured the drill’s coring system performed reliably under low-gravity, high-vacuum conditions. This work not only solved key engineering challenges in retaining subsurface samples but also established a framework for future planetary sampling missions. Zeng’s achievements represent a landmark in robotic in-situ resource utilization and have positioned him as a key innovator in the next generation of lunar and deep-space exploration technologies.