Ph.D. (Dr.-Ing.), Aerospace Engineering, Univ. Stuttgart, Germany
Graduate, Space Studies Program, International Space University (ISU), Strasbourg, France
BSc/MSc (Dipl.-Ing.), Aerospace Engineering, TU Berlin, Germany

Dr. Laufer was born and grew up in Berlin, Germany. He worked at the German Aerospace Center (DLR), Berlin-Adlershof, Germany, from 1993 to 2003 in the field of planetary exploration (missions: e.g. Cassini, Deep Space 1, Galileo, Mars Express, Mars Pathfinder). From 2003 to 2009 he was a research associate, lecturer and staff member at the Institute of Space Systems, Univ. Stuttgart, Germany, involved in various research and teaching activities (projects: Stuttgart Small Satellite Program, SOFIA, DUNE dust telescope; courses: astronomy missions, lunar exploration and development, planetary missions, project management and systems engineering, small satellite design). He was teaching for the International Space University in France, Spain and the USA and chaired departments and team projects since 2006.

Since 2009 Dr. Laufer is a research faculty member at CASPER and head of the Space Science Lab. He is also a visiting scientist and adjunct associate professor at the University of Stuttgart, Germany, visiting lecturer at the TU Dresden, Germany, and faculty member at the International Space University, Strasbourg, France. He is a member of the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA) and co-chair of IAA's permanent committee on small satellite missions.

Dr. Laufer has broad interests in the field of space science, space engineering, and space missions, including but not limited to the following areas:

• Cosmic Dust, Debris and Plasma
• In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU)
• Lunar Exploration, Lunar Development, Lunar Utilization, and Lunar Bases
• Mission Design and Mission Operations
• Outreach: educational and public (EPO)
• Planetary Exploration
• Scientific Instrumentation: in-situ and remote sensing
• Small Satellites (pico, nano, micro, and mini satellites)
• Systems Engineering and Project Management

Dr. Laufer published more than 90 conference contributions, journal papers and other articles.

Dr. Laufer co-supervised more than 50 graduate students as well as various undergraduate/graduate student and professional development team projects.