#Julia Zeikowitz

Deanne Rogers: Hyperspectral Imager

The work that the Stony Brook University geologist took on in April 2022 – perched in a volcanic field in New Mexico with a machine that analyzes the composition of rocks – may help astronauts get back to the moon and, eventually, to the red planet. “It's all about, for me, just doing good work,” she said during a break in the RISE2 expedition to the Potrillo Volcanic Field. “Keep your head down, do good work.” That she did.

NASA scientists rely on sensitive tools - from handheld gadgets to bulky machines - to cull data from Earth, Moon and other worlds

Along with the human crew, the rocket blasting back to the Moon as part of the Artemis Project in 2025 will be carrying an array of highly sensitive gadgets to help the astronauts do dangerous and important jobs in space. Some of the machines used on Earth to analyze the features of analog sites like Kilbourne Hole in New Mexico will likely take the journey – or at least some instruments derived from those trusty monitors will.