"Teamwork is so important."
Jennifer Heldmann is
a Research Scientist and Principal Investigator at NASA Ames Research Center in the Division of Space Science & Astrobiology, Planetary Systems Branch. Heldmann’s scientific research interests focus on water ice and volatiles on the Moon and Mars for both scientific exploration and as in situ resources to enable a sustained human presence beyond Earth. Her Mars research focuses on studies of recent water on the Red Planet through spacecraft data analysis, numerical modeling, and fieldwork in Mars-analog environments such as the Outback of Australia, the Canadian High Arctic, the Atacama Desert, Spitsbergen, the Mojave Desert, and Antarctica, among other locales.
Her lunar work includes flight mission activities coupled with scientific research and assessments for in situ resource utilization. She served on the Science Team, Payload Team, and as the Observation Campaign Coordinator for NASA’s Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) mission to study the permanently shadowed regions of the lunar poles. Heldmann is currently a member of the Science Team for NASA’s VIPER (Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover) mission to map and characterize ice near the south pole of the Moon. She leads NASA’s RESOURCE team to study lunar resources and ISRU applications and has served on a multitude of NASA committees for Mars and Moon exploration. She recently was a member of the National Academies Decadal Survey on Planetary Science and Astrobiology, co-led the Decadal’s HExWG (Human Exploration Working Group), and led the mission concept study for an in situ lunar polar rover. Heldmann also supports NASA’s Artemis plans to send humans to the Moon by serving on the Artemis III Science Definition Team (SDT). She is also an Artemis curriculum development lead and astronaut crew trainer focused on the science and exploration of lunar volatiles.
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