Richard Spolzino is an aerospace engineer at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. He works within the Moon Base mission architecture and systems interoperability effort, focusing on identifying missing data regarding lunar and Martian exploration.
Spolzino’s team documents knowledge gaps, such as the geotechnical properties of lunar regolith, including weight-bearing capacity and shear strength. These gaps provide measurable targets for industry and international partners to address.
The team identified approximately 25 data gaps last year and is on track to reach 60 by the end of this year. These findings help NASA leadership evaluate proposed instruments and prioritize data transmission for missions like the Griffin-1 by Voyager.
Spolzino holds a degree in aerospace engineering and space architecture from the University of Houston. His work involves systems-level architecture, ensuring that components like oxygen plants, rovers, and processors function as an integrated whole.
