Purdue scientists help shape national priorities for future missions
09-10-2025
Purdue alum and Apollo 17 Mission Commander, Astronaut Eugene A. Cernan, exploring the Taurus-Littrow Valley in support of NASA’s sixth and final Apollo lunar landing mission (Dec. 7-19, 1972). Photo credit: NASA; Harrison H. Schmitt, Apollo 17 Lunar Module Pilot.
In recognition of Purdue’s national leadership in science, professors Tabb Prissel and Brandon Johnson of the Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences (EAPS) were individually invited by the National Academy of Sciences to present their research on lunar evolution. Prissel and Johnson served as strategic advisers to the Panel on Lunar and Planetary Sciences, convened by the Space Studies Board. They each outlined national science objectives for future human exploration of the Moon, focusing on key nonpolar destinations beyond the Artemis campaign’s current emphasis on the lunar south polar region.
Purdue’s EAPS Department is home to internationally recognized experts in lunar and planetary science. Prissel and Johnson were invited by the National Academy of Sciences based on their pioneering research into the Moon’s early evolution and their work on impact and volcanic processes. The invitation reflects Purdue’s growing leadership in shaping national science priorities and its role in advancing the future of human space exploration.
The invitation represents a rare opportunity for Purdue researchers to influence national science strategy and exploration planning at the highest level. For Prissel and Johnson, contributing to the National Academies’ discussions on lunar evolution and exploration priorities is both a professional honor and a chance to ensure that fundamental science remains central to future mission planning.
For EAPS, the recognition underscores Purdue’s leadership in planetary research and highlights the department’s commitment to advancing discovery through collaboration, innovation and public engagement.
“My research explores the igneous evolution of the Earth, Moon, and rocky worlds by integrating natural sample analysis with experimental petrology, orbital mission data and geochemical modeling,” says Prissel. “In the Purdue Petrology Suite, students and I conduct high-temperature and high-pressure experiments to replicate the conditions and processes occurring within volcanoes and the deep interiors of planets to study how elements behave in magmas and minerals under these extreme conditions.”
“My research is focused mainly on impact cratering, which is arguably the most pervasive geologic process in the solar system,” says Johnson. “In my group, we use numerical models called hydrocodes to study the formation of impact craters and impact processes. Currently, we are simulating the formation of large basins throughout the solar system.”
The video of the presentations and panel Q&As is available on the National Academies Vimeo page: https://vimeo.com/event/5325559
About the Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences at Purdue University
The Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences (EAPS) combines four of Purdue's most interdisciplinary programs: Geology & Geophysics, Environmental Sciences, Atmospheric Sciences, and Planetary Sciences. EAPS conducts world-class research, educates undergraduate and graduate students, and provides our college, university, state and country with the information necessary to understand the world and universe around us. Our research is globally recognized, our students are highly valued by graduate schools, employers, and our alumni continue to make significant contributions in academia, industry, and federal and state government.
Written by: David Siple, communications specialist, Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences (EAPS) at Purdue University.
Contributions by: Tabb Prissel, assistant professor, and Brandon Johnson, professor, Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences (EAPS) at Purdue University.