The Mars Society is pleased to announce that Dr. Kris Zacny, Vice President & Director of Exploration Technology at Honeybee Robotics, will speak about planetary drills and sampling systems on Mars and the Moon during the 22nd Annual International Mars Society Convention, scheduled for October 17-20 at the University of Southern California.



Honeybee Robotics is a long-time supporter of NASA’s exploration missions. The company’s systems for drilling, coring and physical sampling of Mars, the Moon, and asteroids are designed to support scientific inquiry and human exploration.



Dr. Zacny focuses on robotic space drilling, sample acquisition, transfer and processing technologies, as well as geotechnical systems for mining applications. Previously, he managed mining projects and production in South Africa.



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. He also has over 15 NASA New Technology Records and three NASA Group Achievement Awards.



For more details about the 2019 International Mars Society Convention, including registration and volunteer information, please visit our web site (www.marssociety.org). A list of confirmed speakers and a tentative program itinerary will be posted online in the near future.