Dr. Kris Zacny
VP, Exploration Technology Group

Dr. Kris Zacny expertise includes space mining, In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU), sample acquisition and handling, sensors, and geotechnical systems. Previously, Dr. Zacny managed mining projects and production in South African gold, diamond, and coal mines. Dr. Zacny earned a Ph.D. in Mars drilling and an ME in Petroleum Engineering from University of California, Berkeley, as well as a B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from University of Cape Town. Dr Zacny has over 300 publications, including an edited book, “Drilling in Extreme Environments: Penetration and Sampling on Earth and Other Planets.” He has been a Principal and Co-Investigator of over 200 NASA and Department of Defense funded projects and participated in drilling expeditions in Antarctica, the Arctic, the Atacama Desert, and Greenland. Dr. Zacny has over 40 NASA New Technology Records and five NASA Group Achievement Awards.