Seminar

Seminar - OSIRIS-REx: To Bennu and Back - Sept. 13

Anonymous — Tue, 03 Sep 2024 13:42:13 +0000

Seminar - OSIRIS-REx: To Bennu and Back - Sept. 13 Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 09/03/2024 - 07:42

Friday, Sept. 13
10:40 a.m. - Seminar in AERO 120
11:30 a.m. - Panel Discussion / Q&A in AERO 111

This seminar will recount the two-year proximity operations and remote sensing campaign at Bennu, including the dramatic sample collection event and the events leading to the landing of the sample capsule in Utah.

A panel discussion will follow, featuring members of the Navigation and Flight Operations Team from NASA Goddard, Lockheed Martin, and KinetX, who will each recount specific challenges faced during the mission and the innovations that were implemented to overcome them.

Featured Speakers:

Dr. Michael C Moreau (AeroEngr MS’97, PhD’01) has worked at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center since 2001, and for over 10 years has served in leadership roles on the OSIRIS-REx Mission, as the manager of the Navigation Team during development, launch, and Bennu encounter, then as deputy project manager and leader of the sample return capsule recovery team. Mike’s Ph.D. research at CU focused on applications of the Global Positioning System in high Earth orbits, and contributed to the adoption of GPS on NASA missions such as GOES and Magnetosphere Multiscale. Before attending CU, he earned a BS in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Vermont.

Over three decades, Dr. Peter Antreasian (AeroEngr PhD’92) has made contributions to the navigation of NASA missions, Galileo, NEAR, Mars Odyssey, MER, Cassini-Huygens, GRAIL, and OSIRIS-REx. He began his career at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in 1992, then joined KinetX 20 years later to lead the OSIRIS-REx navigation team. His expertise in orbit determination and navigation has been crucial in the success of these missions, including the first-ever landing of a spacecraft on an asteroid and the return of an asteroid sample to Earth. Peter earned his BS, MS and PhD in Aerospace Engineering, respectively, from Purdue, University of Texas and University of Colorado.

Dr. Jason Leonard (AeroEngr MS’12, PhD’15) received his Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering Sciences from the ��ñ�� under the advisement of Dr. George Born. Currently, he is the Orbit Determination Group Supervisor at KinetX Aerospace and Deputy Navigation Team Chief for the NASA OSIRIS-REx and OSIRIS-APEX missions. He has been the Orbit Determination Team Lead for OSIRIS-REx since prior to Launch, during the duration of proximity operations and its successful acquisition of asteroid regolith, and through its return of the sample to Earth. For his contributions to the mission, Jason received the NASA Exceptional Engineering Achievement Medal and the PI Award of Distinction.

Dr. Daniel Wibben is the Maneuver Design Group Supervisor for the Space Navigation and Flight Dynamics practice at KinetX Aerospace, Inc. Since joining the company, he has held the role of Maneuver and Trajectory lead for the OSIRIS-REx asteroid sample return mission. He has also been involved with the planning and operations of the LUCY, LunaH-Map, and DAVINCI missions. He received his B.S. in Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, and M.S. and Ph.D. in Systems Engineering from the University of Arizona where his research was focused on nonlinear guidance techniques for asteroid proximity operations and planetary landing.

Coralie D. Adam (AeroEngr MS’17) is the Optical Navigation Group Supervisor at KinetX. She holds a B.S. in aerospace engineering and astronomy from the University of Illinois, and an M.S. in aerospace engineering sciences from the University of Colorado at Boulder. During her 12 years at KinetX, Coralie has had lead roles on the navigation teams for NASA’s New Horizons, OSIRIS-REx, Lucy, and OSIRIS-APEX missions. In addition to leading the OSIRIS-REx optical navigation subsystem from development through sample collection, she co-convened the scientific investigation of Bennu’s active particle ejection phenomena. Coralie is currently the deputy Navigation Team Chief on NASA’s Lucy mission, and a navigation lead and science co-investigator on the OSIRIS-APEX extended mission to asteroid Apophis.

Ryan Olds (AeroEngr BS’04, MS’09) has 19 years of experience in Guidance Navigation and Controls at Lockheed Martin Space supporting NASA Deep Space Exploration Missions. Ryan started his career working on the Pointing Control System for the Spitzer Space Telescope. He developed the reaction wheel control system for the twin-spacecraft GRAIL mission and supported test, integration, launch, and operations at the Moon. Ryan began working on OSIRIS-Rex in 2013 by developing control systems as well as the Natural Feature Tracking system which provided autonomous navigation for OSIRIS-REx during the mission’s sample acquisition phase. Ryan is currently a Guidance, Navigation and Controls manager and continues to support Deep Space Exploration missions such as OSIRIS-REx and DAVINCI.

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Engineering advice from the President of Lockheed Martin Space

Jeff Zehnder — Tue, 16 Dec 2025 15:00:15 +0000

Engineering advice from the President of Lockheed Martin Space Jeff Zehnder Tue, 12/16/2025 - 08:00

Jeff Zehnder

Mark Sirangelo and Robert Lightfoot at the seminar.

Robert Lightfoot is the President of Lockheed Martin Space and a longtime leader in the aerospace field. He joined the company in 2019 after three decades at NASA, where he began as a test engineer and then progressed across the agency, eventually serving as Associate Administrator, NASA’s top civil servant position, and as Acting NASA Administrator for 18 months in 2017-2018.

He visited Smead Aerospace on Monday, Dec. 1, addressing students as well as a separate gathering of College of Engineering and Applied Science leadership and faculty.

The college meeting included a discussion of the direction of the aerospace industry, and Lightfoot’s views of the future of space, technology and where Lockheed Martin is driving their business. There was also a very successful dialogue about how Lockheed Martin Space and ��ñ�� could work together on projects, student recruitment and ways the company could help enable university initiatives in space policy and national security.

The student seminar was hosted by Mark Sirangelo, aerospace entrepreneur-in-residence, for an interactive discussion on his career path and life lessons, providing real insight and knowledge. Following are some of the elements of the seminar:

Why did you go into aerospace?

I grew up in a little town in Alabama called Montevallo and graduated with 62 kids from high school. There were no engineers in Montevallo as role models. The only reason I went into engineering is because when I took all the tests that you take, the guidance counselor said I should be an engineer. I said, “You mean to drive a train?” I thought she was asking me to be a train engineer.

I was going to go into journalism school, but I started looking into it and decided to major in mechanical engineering.

I followed my girlfriend to the University of Alabama in Huntsville and one day went to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center there. It’s a great place and they have the Saturn V. I was taking propulsion systems and was fascinated by the propulsion concept. I walked around the back of the Saturn V and they have five engines hanging off the thing. That’s what did it for me.

Rocket propulsion has been a major part of your career. What drew you to that area?

I just loved engine testing and propulsion testing. I eventually got an opportunity to run the test area at NASA Stennis Space Center in 1999. It was my dream job because my windows rattled every day. We had probably 20 test positions running different size engines at any given time.

I later was at Marshall and ran the Shuttle Propulsion Office. I was responsible for the first 8.5 minutes of flight, going from 0 to 17,500 mph. There is nothing more daunting, awesome, and scary than T-9 minutes at NASA and the propulsion go-no-go to fly the Shuttle.

You were part of the return-to-flight effort after the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster. What did you learn from that process?

One of the chief tenets of being an engineer is you’ve got to remain curious, and we had lost our curiosity. There was a requirement in the Shuttle Program that you can’t have any foam come off that external tank, but foam had come off since the very first mission. Because it didn’t do any damage, we convinced ourselves it was okay.

They showed us more times than I care to count Flight Readiness Reviews that basically said, “Loss of foam is not a status of flight issue.” With no data. That was a lesson.

I don’t believe in coincidence anymore. If something happens you have to ask why, and sometimes you have to ask five times.

What was it like serving as associate administrator of NASA?

The associate administrator is the top civil servant in the agency. The two positions above it are political nominees. I was the COO and ran the agency day-to-day

It’s pretty fun. I got to run the Program Management Council that reviewed all the programs. At the time we were dealing with the James Webb Space Telescope.

I had to learn a lot about things I’d never worked on before -- science, aeronautics, things like that.

But when I moved to D.C. for the job, they told me if you want a friend, get a dog. That’s the kind of environment in D.C.

What is Lockheed Martin’s relationship with ��ñ��?

Lockheed Martin Space and ��ñ�� have had a long and positive history of working together on missions, student projects, investment and new technology development. We have been a very significant recruiter on the campus in the past with a great deal of success.

We are continuing to grow substantially in many highly interesting areas of space and technology. I just met with a number of the senior leaders of the college and department and was very impressed with the growth and direction that ��ñ�� is going. I indicated my strong interest in growing our relationship and of expanding our recruitment efforts of ��ñ�� students.

Robert Lightfoot is the President of Lockheed Martin Space and a longtime leader in the aerospace field. He spoke to Smead Aerospace students at ��ñ�� on...

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Special Seminar: Lockheed Martin Space President Robert Lightfoot - Dec. 1

Jeff Zehnder — Wed, 19 Nov 2025 15:48:57 +0000

Special Seminar: Lockheed Martin Space President Robert Lightfoot - Dec. 1 Jeff Zehnder Wed, 11/19/2025 - 08:48

Please join Mark Sirangelo as he welcomes Robert Lightfoot to ��ñ�� for a fascinating seminar and Q&A on Lockheed Martin’s future, what technologies they are investing in and what work opportunities may exist for you. We will also hear about Robert’s decades in NASA’s leadership, his views on the future of NASA and the space industry.

Robert Lightfoot is the president of Lockheed Martin Space and an officer of Lockheed Martin Corporation. In this capacity, he leads the Space business, which is a more than $11 billion enterprise employing more than 22,000 people globally. The LM Space portfolio provides advanced technology systems for national security, civil and commercial customers. It includes integrated systems for satellites, human spaceflight, strategic and missile defense, satellite command and control, sensor and data processing including predictive analytics and big data applications, space observatories and interplanetary robotic spacecraft, and a range of sensing, communications, and exploration payloads.

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Seminar: Using Data-of-Opportunity to Explore Spacecraft Aerodynamics in Very Low Earth Orbit - Nov. 21

Jeff Zehnder — Mon, 17 Nov 2025 16:22:54 +0000

Seminar: Using Data-of-Opportunity to Explore Spacecraft Aerodynamics in Very Low Earth Orbit - Nov. 21 Jeff Zehnder Mon, 11/17/2025 - 09:22

Marcin Pilinski
Research Associate, LASP
Friday, Nov. 21 | 10:40 A.M. | AERO 111

Abstract: The Compact Spectral Irradiance Monitor (CSIM) was launched in December 2018 and collected data through 2021. CSIM was decommissioned at the end of 2022 and in hibernation until May of 2025, when a team of CU-LASP operations engineers regained control of the spacecraft to perform experiments related to flight in Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO). At altitudes below 350 km, aerodynamic drag acceleration causes rapid changes in orbital parameters and leads to several operational challenges that will be highlighted in this talk. Our team combined attitude data from CSIM with Space Force orbital observations to characterize the aerodynamic properties of the CubeSat as it re-entered. In addition to this, LASP performed doppler observations of CSIM to investigate how orbit tracking can be enhanced over standard two-line element (TLE) data. In this talk we will introduce some of the concepts behind aerodynamics in the rarefied gas environment of low earth orbit. We then present the results of the CSIM aerodynamic investigation and a few operational lessons related to flight below 350 km altitude. We also compare Doppler corrected TLE's with standard TLE's available from Space-Track and discuss future work to help specify rapidly evolving orbits in this region. Finally, using lessons learned from the CSIM experience, we design an experimental approach for studying aerodynamics in LEO using additional data-of-opportunity or on dedicated CubeSat missions.

Bio: Dr. Marcin Pilinski is a research associate in the space plasma group at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) at the University of Colorado, Boulder. His research interests include aeronomy, satellite drag modeling, spacecraft gas-surface interactions, and data assimilation. His recent projects include: the design of assimilation and forecasting schemes for specifying the space environment; Mars ionosphere-thermosphere research utilizing data from NASA’s MAVEN mission; development of a thermospheric neutral wind sensor; teaching a graduate CubeSat design course at ��ñ��; and exploring spacecraft gas-surface interaction near and above the oxygen helium transition. He is part of the Langmuir Probe instrument team on MAVEN and of SWx TREC’s satellite drag research group as well as the lead of the Vehicle Environment Coupling and Trajectory Response (VECTOR) initiative.

The Compact Spectral Irradiance Monitor (CSIM) was launched in December 2018 and collected data through 2021. CSIM was decommissioned at the end of 2022 and in hibernation until...

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Seminar: A Futurist’s Look at Dynamic Space Operations and Contested Space - Nov. 14

Jeff Zehnder — Tue, 11 Nov 2025 08:03:25 +0000

Seminar: A Futurist’s Look at Dynamic Space Operations and Contested Space - Nov. 14 Jeff Zehnder Tue, 11/11/2025 - 01:03

Joel Mozer
Former Chief Scientist, U.S. Space Force
Friday, Nov. 14 | 10:40 A.M. | AERO 111

Abstract: From the perspective of a futurist, we stand at a crossroads in space development. The space domain has already grown to be the home of a significant economic engine, but where it will go next is unclear. Will we have a dynamic, robust, and complex ecosystem that includes manufacturing, resource extraction, and humans living and working in space, or will it continue to be a medium for data transport and Earth observation.

In this talk, I will examine the plausible range of future scenarios and discuss the implications of each, including how we should prepare for future national security as it relates to space.

Bio: Dr. Joel B. Mozer was the first Chief Scientist of the United States Space Force, serving from its founding in 2019 through 2023 as the principal advisor on science and technology for the service’s 16,000 space professionals worldwide. He previously held the same role at Air Force Space Command and spent over two decades at the Air Force Research Laboratory, where he led research from cloud physics to solar mass ejections, directed the ANGELS satellite mission in geosynchronous orbit, and served as Principal Investigator for the EAGLE satellite experiment.

A Ph.D. graduate in Atmospheric Physics from the University of Arizona, Dr. Mozer continues to explore Strategic Foresight, Artificial Intelligence, and the Science of Strategy as a member of AFRL’s Voluntary Emeritus Corps in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

From the perspective of a futurist, we stand at a crossroads in space development. The space domain has already grown to be the home of a significant economic engine, but where it will...

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Future Insight Seminar: America’s Military Space and What it Means for You - Nov. 13

Jeff Zehnder — Tue, 04 Nov 2025 22:09:39 +0000

Future Insight Seminar: America’s Military Space and What it Means for You - Nov. 13 Jeff Zehnder Tue, 11/04/2025 - 15:09

A Future Insight Seminar
General Jim Dickinson (Ret.)
Four Star General • Former Commander of United States Space Command
Thursday, Nov. 13 • 3-4 p.m. • AERO 111

Learn about America’s Military Space and what it means for you

Please join Mark Sirangelo as he welcomes General Jim Dickinson (Ret.) to ��ñ�� for a fascinating seminar and Q&A on U.S. Space Command, U.S. Space Force, how they are organized, what research/work opportunities exist for you and what might be the future of the U.S. and its allies in space. We will also talk about the General’s current involvement with Amazon Kuiper and its future possibilities.

Dickinson is the most recent past Commander of United States Space Command, the nation’s 11th and newest Combatant Command. He led the U.S, Space Command from 2020 to 2025 and is credited with bringing it to full operational capability. During his 40-year career he has commanded at every level in the U.S. military from battery to combatant command.

In addition to being America’s senior space combat commander and a highly decorated combat officer who is recipient of the Broze Star and the Master Space Badge, Dickinson also commanded the Army’s Space and Missile Defense Command and the Joint Functional Component Command for Integrated Missile Defense (STRATCOM).

He commanded Air and Missile defense units around the world, including in Korea and as part of Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom in the Middle East, and has served as the Director for Test for the Missile Defense Agency and Deputy to the Inspector General, US Army.

Dickinson has a life-long connection to Colorado having been born in Estes Park. He graduated from Colorado State University with a B.S. degree in mechanical engineering where he was commissioned as a second lieutenant through the Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC). According to him, his engineering degree helped shape his life and career by teaching him discipline and follow-through, team building, solving complex problems, and lifelong learning. He also received a Master of Science degree in operations research and systems analysis from the Colorado School of Mines. Additionally, he earned a second master's degree in strategic studies from the United States Army War College.

General Dickinson and his wife Angie still live in Colorado Springs. They have been married for 39+ years, have four adult children, and seven grandchildren. Among his many interests, Dickinsonserves as a senior advisor for Amazon/Kuiper Government Solutions, board member for Lynx Software Technologies, along with other advisory and board positions.

Mark N. Sirangelo created and hosts the CU Future Insight Seminar Series as CU’s Entrepreneur-Scholar in Residence. He is the recent Chairman of the U.S. Department of Defense’s Defense Innovation Board and the DoD’s Space Advisory Committee. Previously he was Special Assistant to the NASA Administrator helping to develop NASA’s return to the Moon. Mark was the founding executive and head of Sierra Nevada Corporation’s Space Systems and has served as the Chief Innovation Officer of Colorado.

Please join Mark Sirangelo as he welcomes General Jim Dickinson (Ret.) to ��ñ�� for a fascinating seminar and Q&A on what is U.S. Space Command, U.S. Space Force, how they...

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Seminar - Flow control à la mode: Controlling flow interactions to improve performance in aerodynamic systems - Nov. 7

Jeff Zehnder — Sat, 01 Nov 2025 14:08:08 +0000

Seminar - Flow control à la mode: Controlling flow interactions to improve performance in aerodynamic systems - Nov. 7 Jeff Zehnder Sat, 11/01/2025 - 08:08

Maziar Hemati
Associate Professor, Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics, University of Minnesota
Friday, Nov. 7 | 10:40 A.M. | AERO 111

Abstract: Flow control is the notion of manipulating the evolution of a fluid flow to achieve a desired outcome using passive or active means. Flow control technologies can enhance performance and efficiency in engineering systems, ranging from airplanes to underwater robots to wind turbines. Ongoing efforts aim to improve the reliability and performance of these systems by “feeding back” sensed information about the evolution of a flow to determine how to actuate the flow in an optimal manner. Achieving effective flow control often requires reliable and efficient models for the complex dynamics of fluid flows; estimators that can infer knowledge about the evolution of these flows from a limited set of sensor measurements; and control policies and algorithms that use these inferences to actively and reliably manipulate the evolution of fluid flows to achieve specified performance objectives. This talk will provide an overview of past and ongoing research related to the various modeling, analysis, and design challenges associated with controlling flow interactions in aerodynamic systems. Focus will be given to how control theory, system dynamics, optimization, and applied mathematics can be used to reveal essential flow interactions and harness them to achieve a performance benefit.

Bio: Maziar Hemati is an Associate Professor and Russell J. Penrose Faculty Fellow in the Department of Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics at the University of Minnesota. His research brings together perspectives from control theory, system dynamics, optimization, and applied mathematics to tackle challenging problems in fluid dynamics and aerospace engineering. He is a recipient of the 2020 NSF CAREER Award and the 2019 AFOSR Young Investigator Award. In 2021, he was awarded the George W. Taylor Award in recognition of exceptional contributions to teaching by a candidate for tenure at the University of Minnesota. He is an Associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Prior to joining the faculty at the University of Minnesota, he served as a Post-Doctoral Research Associate in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Princeton University. He earned his Ph.D. and M.S. in Mechanical Engineering and his B.S. in Aerospace Engineering, all from UCLA.

Flow control is the notion of manipulating the evolution of a fluid flow to achieve a desired outcome using passive or active means. Flow control technologies can enhance performance and...

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Seminar: Medical Risk Assessment for Human Spaceflight - Oct. 31

Jeff Zehnder — Fri, 24 Oct 2025 14:08:08 +0000

Seminar: Medical Risk Assessment for Human Spaceflight - Oct. 31 Jeff Zehnder Fri, 10/24/2025 - 08:08

Arian Anderson
Emergency Medicine Physician and Assistant Professor, CU Anschutz
Friday, Oct. 31 | 10:40 A.M. | AERO 111

Abstract: The renewed global interest in lunar exploration, rapid expansion of the commercial space sector, and national investments in crewed missions have created one of the most active eras in human spaceflight history. This new paradigm, however, challenges long-standing approaches to astronaut health and medical support that were designed for small, elite crews in low Earth orbit. Future explorers will include commercial astronauts with more diverse medical profiles and NASA crews operating autonomously on long-duration missions with limited resupply, communication, and evacuation capabilities.

To address these challenges, NASA’s Exploration Medical Capability (ExMC) element has developed probabilistic risk assessment models that quantify medical risk based on crew characteristics and mission profiles. These models enable mission designers to optimize medical systems, forecast resource needs, and guide targeted technology development.

At the University of Colorado, interdisciplinary teams in medicine and aerospace engineering are applying similar frameworks to bridge the gap between clinical care and systems design. Through initiatives such as AI-guided ultrasound human factors testing and the dual-degree MD/MS program in Medicine and Aerospace Engineering, CU is preparing the next generation of researchers and engineers to advance human health and performance in spaceflight and other extreme environments.

Bio: Dr. Arian Anderson is an Emergency Medicine physician and Assistant Professor at the University of Colorado Anschutz School of Medicine, where he directs the Medicine and Aerospace Engineering Dual-Degree Program and the CU Space Health Program. His work bridges clinical medicine and engineering to advance human health and performance in spaceflight and other austere and remote environments. Dr. Anderson previously worked at NASA’s Exploration Medical Capability element, developing a quantitative approach to assessing mission medical risk and designing systems to enable medical care on future Moon and Mars missions. At CU, he leads interdisciplinary education and research spanning space medicine, bioastronautics, and remote operations.

The renewed global interest in lunar exploration, rapid expansion of the commercial space sector, and national investments in crewed missions have created one of the...

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Seminar - Spacecraft Drag: Mitigating Risks and Leveraging Opportunities - Oct. 24

Jeff Zehnder — Fri, 17 Oct 2025 06:12:12 +0000

Seminar - Spacecraft Drag: Mitigating Risks and Leveraging Opportunities - Oct. 24 Jeff Zehnder Fri, 10/17/2025 - 00:12

Mark Moretto
Assistant Professor, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, NC State
Friday, Oct. 24 | 10:40 A.M. | AERO 111

Abstract: Spacecraft drag is a significant perturbation that affects spacecraft in low Earth orbit (LEO) and at destinations throughout the Solar System. Drag modeling is complex due to uncertainties in both the spacecraft’s aerodynamic properties and stochastic atmospheric conditions. Historically, drag has been seen as a nuisance; however, it is increasingly being leveraged to promote spacecraft safety and maneuver without the use of fuel. Rigorous modeling and prediction of spacecraft drag is essential to maintaining the use of LEO, improving spacecraft safety and performance, and for exploring the Solar System.

The Moretto Group uses astrodynamics and estimation theory to address interdisciplinary problems across engineering, planetary science, economics, and space policy. This seminar will explore recent work in two radically different regimes of spacecraft drag – comets and LEO.

Bio: Dr. Mark Moretto is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at North Carolina State University. Prior to arriving at NC State, Dr. Moretto was a Postdoctoral Associate at the ��ñ�� from 2022-2024 where his research centered on space situational awareness and multi-object tracking.

Dr. Moretto received his PhD and MS in Aerospace Engineering Sciences from the ��ñ�� in 2022 and 2019, respectively. He received BS degrees in Aerospace Engineering and Astronomy from the University of Maryland in 2017.

He has earned numerous accolades for his work including a Goldwater Scholarship (2016) and the National Young Astronomer Award (2013), as well as being named one of Astronomy Magazines “25 Rising Stars” in 2022, and one of Aviation Weeks “20 Twenties” in 2019.

Spacecraft drag is a significant perturbation that affects spacecraft in low Earth orbit (LEO) and at destinations throughout the Solar System. Drag modeling is complex due to...

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Seminar: Analysis vs Simulation or Brains vs Computers - Oct. 17

Jeff Zehnder — Fri, 10 Oct 2025 06:12:12 +0000

Seminar: Analysis vs Simulation or Brains vs Computers - Oct. 17 Jeff Zehnder Fri, 10/10/2025 - 00:12

Terry Alfriend
Professor, Aerospace Engineering, Texas A&M University
Friday, Oct. 17 | 10:40 A.M. | AERO 111

Abstract: The significant advances in computational technology now allow us to perform detailed simulations of complex systems. Accompanying this advancement has been a reduction in the cost of developing many systems. Many wind tunnels have been shut down due to the advances in CFD and aircraft simulators/emulators have reduced the cockpit training time for pilots. Our students can now solve much more complex problems in class and in their theses. Accompanying these advances in computational capability has been a trend to total reliance on simulations, and not performing the analytical work to develop approximate analytic solutions to problems that can provide significant insight into the physics of the problem. Approximate analytical solutions can also help in validating the software and performing sensitivity studies, which helps reduce costs. In this seminar the value of approximate analytical solutions to complex problems will be demonstrated with three examples, estimation of the space object population and distribution, the tracking of mobile missiles, and control of a satellite formation that maintains the relative motion orbit while minimizing total system fuel consumption and balancing the fuel use over all the satellites in the formation.

Bio: Terry Alfriend is currently the Professor and Holder of the Jack E. & Francis Brown Chair II of Aerospace Engineering at Texas A&M University and a University Distinguished Professor. He has over 55 years of diverse experience in the aerospace business that includes research, development and management in the private sector, government, and academia. He is a member of the NAE, an Honorary Fellow of the AIAA, a Fellow of the AAS and a member of the International Academy of Astronautics. He has served as an Associate Editor and Editor-in-Chief of both the AIAA Journal of Guidance, Control and Dynamics and the AAS Journal of the Astronautical Sciences and the. He is also the recipient of the AIAA Goddard Astronautics Award, the AIAA Mechanics and Control of Flight Award, the AIAA Guidance, Navigation and Control of Flight Award, and the AAS Dirk Brouwer Award. His research interests are in space domain awareness, astrodynamics, satellite attitude dynamics and control and spacecraft design. Recently he had a minor planet named after him (5963) Terryalfriend = 1990 QP2. He is a co-author of two books: Spacecraft Formation Flying: Dynamics, Control and Navigation, Alfriend, Vadali, Gurfil, How and Breger, Elsevier 2010 and just published History of Space Surveillance and Satellite Cataloging: A Long and Winding Road. Schumacher, Hoots and Alfriend, AIAA, Sept. 2025.

The significant advances in computational technology now allow us to perform detailed simulations of complex systems. Accompanying this advancement has been a...

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Seminar

Seminar - OSIRIS-REx: To Bennu and Back - Sept. 13

Featured Speakers:

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Engineering advice from the President of Lockheed Martin Space

Why did you go into aerospace?

Rocket propulsion has been a major part of your career. What drew you to that area?

You were part of the return-to-flight effort after the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster. What did you learn from that process?

What was it like serving as associate administrator of NASA?

What is Lockheed Martin’s relationship with ��ñ����?

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Special Seminar: Lockheed Martin Space President Robert Lightfoot - Dec. 1

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Seminar: Using Data-of-Opportunity to Explore Spacecraft Aerodynamics in Very Low Earth Orbit - Nov. 21

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Seminar: A Futurist’s Look at Dynamic Space Operations and Contested Space - Nov. 14

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Future Insight Seminar: America’s Military Space and What it Means for You - Nov. 13

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Seminar - Flow control à la mode: Controlling flow interactions to improve performance in aerodynamic systems - Nov. 7

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Seminar: Medical Risk Assessment for Human Spaceflight - Oct. 31

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Seminar - Spacecraft Drag: Mitigating Risks and Leveraging Opportunities - Oct. 24

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Seminar: Analysis vs Simulation or Brains vs Computers - Oct. 17

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What is Lockheed Martin’s relationship with ��ñ��?