McKinnon is a co-investigator of Project ESPRESSO. She uses her expertise in terrestrial landslides and hazard mapping to help the project reach its goal of describing extraterrestrial target surfaces (asteroids, comets, and moons) and reducing risks for robots and humans in space exploration. The project is a group of seven partner institutions. It started when NASA called for Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute groups in 2016. ESPRESSO is one of thirteen projects that were chosen after that call. 