Doctor of Philosophy Candidates

Comp 2023-05 student portrait Riccardo Calaon

Research:

advanced spacecraft dynamics and control, constrained attitude maneuvering, path planning algorithms, orbital mechanics, formation flying

Awards:

Fulbright Scholar, Ermenegildo Zegna Founder's Scholarship, Bahls Travel Award
Prelim 2022-08 student portrait Kaylee Champion

Research:

Spacecraft Charging, Charged Astrodynamics, and Spacecraft Dynamics and Controls.

Awards:

NSF Fellowship, NSTGRO Fellowship, Zonta International Amelia Earhart Fellowship
Incoming student portrait Anaïs Cheval

Research:

Spacecraft Autonomy, Spacecraft Dynamics and Control, Machine Learning.
Prelim 2022-08 student portrait João Vaz Carneiro

Research:

Formation flying, rendezvous and docking dynamics, analytical mechanics

Awards:

La Caixa Fellowship Program
Incoming student portrait Afrah Ghedira

Research:

spacecraft dynamics, relative motion dynamics, rendezvous and formation flying.
Before Prelim Exam student portrait Amy C. Haft

Research:

Active Debris Removal, Spacecraft Charging, and Charged Astrodynamics
Comp Exam 2023-01 student portrait Julian Hammerl

Research:

spacecraft dynamics and control, charged astrodynamics, space debris

Awards:

NASA FINESST graduate fellowship, Outstanding DLA Mentor
Prelim 2022-08 student portrait Leah Kiner

Research:

spacecraft dynamics, GNC simulation, spacecraft attitude control

Awards:

CU Travel award
Prelim 2022-08 student portrait Andrea López

Research:

astrodynamics, distributed space systems"

Awards:

NASA FINESST fellowship
Prelim 2023-08 student portrait Andrew Morell

Research:

GNC simulation, spacecraft autonomy, attitude determination and control

Awards:

CU Travel Grant
Before Prelim Exam student portrait Yumeka Nagano

Research:

Autonomous Spacecraft Operations
Prelim 2023-09 student portrait Scott Piggott

Research:

GNC simulation, spacecraft dynamics and simulation

Awards:

AIAA Rocky Mountain section Engineer of the Year
Before Prelim Exam student portrait Lorenzzo Quevedo Mantovani

Research:

Spacecraft dynamics and control, multi-body dynamics
Prelim 2023-09 student portrait Mark Stephenson

Research:

spacecraft dynamics and controls, spacecraft autonomy, machine learning

Awards:

NSF Fellowship, NSTGRO Fellowship, CU travel award
Prelim 2022-08 student portrait James D. Walker

Research:

charged astrodynamics, spacecraft autonomy

Awards:

NDSEG Fellowship
Incoming student portrait Ethan Weber

Research:

Spacecraft Dynamics and Control, Active Debris Removal, Spacecraft Autonomy

Completed Ph.D. Students

  1. student portrait Arun Natarajan, "A Study of Dynamics and Stability of Two-Craft Coulomb Tether Formations," Ph.D. Dissertation, Aerospace and Ocean Engineering Department, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, May 2007.
  2. student portraitShuquan Wang, "Shape Control of Charged Spacecraft Cluster with Two or Three Nodes," Ph.D. Dissertation, Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, May 2010.
    Awards: AAS Breakwell Student Travel Award
  3. student portraitChris Karlgaard, "Robust Adaptive Estimation for Autonomous Rendezvous in Elliptical Orbit," Ph.D. Dissertation, Aerospace and Ocean Engineering Department, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, August 2010.
  4. student portrait Ravi K. Inampudi, "Two-Craft Coulomb Formation Study about Circular Orbits and Libration Points," Ph.D. Dissertation, Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, December 2010.
  5. student portrait Carl R. Seubert, "One-Dimensional Spacecraft Formation Flight Testbed for Terrestrial Charged Relative Motion Experiments," Ph.D. Dissertation, Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, December 2011.
    Awards: AIAA Foundation Willy Z. Sadeh Graduate Student Award, AIAA Foundation Graduate Award, AAS John V. Breakwell Student Travel Award
  6. student portrait Drew Jones, "A Dynamical Systems Theory Analysis of Coulomb Spacecraft Formations," Ph.D. Dissertation, Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics, University of Texas, Austin, TX. August 2013.
    Awards: NDSEG Graduate Fellowship, UT Cockrell School of Engineering Graduate Fellowship 2008-2010, UT travel award 2012
  7. student portrait Laura Stiles, "Electrostatic Inflation of Membrane Space Structures," Ph.D. Dissertation, Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, December 2013.
    Awards: 2009 AF Space Scholar Award, NSF graduate reserach fellowship, 2x Amelia Earthart scholarship, CU travel grant (2x), AAS Breakwell Travel Award, P.E.O. scholar award, Beverly Sears Graduate Student Grant, John A. Vise Graduate Student Excellence Award, GAANN fellowship
  8. student portrait Lee E. Z. Jasper, "Open-Loop Thrust Profile Development for Tethered Towing of Large Space Objects," Ph.D. Dissertation, Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, May 2014.
    Awards: 2012 Air Force Space Scholar Award, CU Travel Grant, 2013 Abrams Scholarship, GAANN fellowship
  9. student portrait Erik A. Hogan, "Electrostatic Tractor Analysis for GEO Debris Remediation," Ph.D. Dissertation, Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, May 2014.
    Awards: John A. Vise Graduate Student Excellence Award, 3x GAANN fellowship, AAS John V. Breakwell Student Travel Award, Vela Fellowship, Los Alamos Presentation Award, CU Travel award
  10. student portrait Paul V. Anderson, "Characterizing Longitude-Dependent Orbital Debris Congestion in the Geosynchronous Orbit Regime," Ph.D. Dissertation, Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, May 2015.
    Awards: Negler family graduate fellowship, Dean's fellowship, AIAA Foundation Orville and Wilbur Wright Graduate Award, GAANN fellowship, NSF and NDSEG graduate fellowship, Aviation Week Twenty20s award, AAS John V. Breakwell Travel Award, John A. Vise Graduate Student Excellence Award
  11. student portrait Stephen O'Keefe, "Autonomous Sun-Direction Estimation Using Partially Underdetermined Coarse Sun Sensor Configurations," Ph.D. Dissertation, Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, May 2015.
    Awards: Negler family graduate fellowship, CU Travel award, GAANN fellowship, ASEN Lead TA
  12. student portrait Daan Stevenson, "Remote Spacecraft Attitude Control by Coulomb Charging," Ph.D. Dissertation, Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, May 2015.
    Awards: NSF, NDSEG (declined), and NASA NSTRF graduate fellowship, 2010 Air Force Space Scholar Award, CU Dean's Outstanding Merit Fellowship, CU travel award, ARCS Scholar
  13. student portrait Khashayar Parsay, "Invariant Solar Sail Formations in Elliptical Sun-Synchronous Orbits," Ph.D. Dissertation, Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, December 2016.
  14. student portrait Trevor Bennett, "On-Orbit 3-Dimensional Electrostatic Detumble for Generic Spacecraft Geometries," Ph.D. Dissertation, Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, May 2017.
    Awards: NSF Fellowship (declined), NASA NSTRF graduate fellowship, ASEN Lead TA, AAS John V. Breakwell Travel Award, CU travel award, John A. Vise Graduate Student Excellence Award, Aviation Week 20 Twenties Award, Orville and Wilbur Wright Graduate Award
  15. student portrait Cody J. Allard, "Modular Software Architecture for Complex Multi-Body Fully-Coupled Spacecraft Dynamics," Ph.D. Dissertation, Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, August 2018.
    Awards: Dean's Graduate Assistantship, AIAA Luis de Florez Graduate Award, CU travel award
  16. student portrait Joseph Hughes, "Dynamics of Complex Spacecraft Subject to Forced and Environmental Charging," Ph.D. Dissertation, Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, December 2018.
    Awards: 2015 Air Force Space Scholar Award, CU travel award, AAS John V. Breakwell Award, John A. Vise Graduate Student Excellence Award
  17. student portrait Patrick Kenneally, "Faster than Real-Time GPGPU Radiation Pressure Modeling Methods," Ph.D. Dissertation, Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, May 2019.
    Awards: AIAA Guidance Navigation and Control Graduate Award, CU travel award, IAC travel award
  18. student portrait Thibaud Teil, "Optical Navigation using Near Celestial Bodies for Spacecraft Autonomy," Ph.D. Dissertation, Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, May 2020.
    Awards: AIAA John Leland Atwood Graduate Award, RPI Workshop on Image-Based Modeling and Navigation for Space Applications Best Paper Award
  19. student portrait Mar Cols Margenet, "End-to-End Flight Software Development and Testing: Modularity, Transparency and Scalability across Testbeds," Ph.D. Dissertation, Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, August 2020.
    Awards: Balsells Undergraduate Fellowship, Balsells graduate Fellowship, CU travel award, UGGS travel award, Amelia Earhart scholarship, AIAA Guidance Navigation and Control Graduate Award
  20. student portrait JoAnna Fulton, "Deployment Dynamics Analysis of Origami-Folded Spacecraft Structures with Elastic Hinges," Ph.D. Dissertation, Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, August 2020.
    Awards: Smead graduate fellowship, Dean's Graduate Assistantship, 2015 Air Force Space Scholar Award, NDSEG Fellowship (declined), NSF Fellowship, NASA NSTRF fellowship,CU travel award, Outstanding TA award, Amelia Earhart scholarship, IAC travel award
  21. student portrait Jordan Maxwell, "Development of Electrostatic Actuation Techniques for Close-Proximity Formation Flying in Low Earth Orbit Plasma Wakes," Ph.D. Dissertation, Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, August 2020.
    Awards: Dean's graduate fellowship, 2017 Air Force Space Scholar Award, Dr. Charles Stein Outstanding Scholar Award, 2019 Department Graduate Student Award for Service, 2020 Department Graduate Student Award for Teaching
  22. student portrait Miles Bengtson, "Electron Method for Touchless Electrostatic Potential Sensing of Neighboring Spacecraft," Ph.D. Dissertation, Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, December 2020.
    Awards: Dean's fellowship, Negler fellowship, 2016 Air Force Space Scholar Award, NDSEG fellowship, SMART Fellowship, SSPI Dean Olmstead Memorial Scholarship, Applied Space Environments Conference Travel award, 2019 AIAA Atmospheric and Space Environments Best Paper Award
  23. student portrait Kieran T. Wilson, "Remote Electrostatic Potential Determination for Spacecraft Relative Motion Control," Ph.D. Dissertation, Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, May 2021.
    Awards: RIO Entrepreneurial fellowship, Applied Space Environments Conference Travel Award, 2020 Department Graduate Student Award for Research, AIAA Atmospheric and Space Environments Best Paper Award
  24. student portrait Andrew Harris, "Autonomous Management and Control of Multi-Spacecraft Operations Leveraging Atmospheric Forces," Ph.D. Dissertation, Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, August 2021.
    Awards: NDSEG Fellowship, Dean's Graduate Assistantship, 2017 Air Force Space Scholar Award, AIAA Guidance, Navigation and Control Graduate Award
  25. student portrait Ethan Burnett, "Novel Dynamics and Control Formulations for Multi-Spacecraft Formation Flying, Rendezvous, and Proximity Operations," Ph.D. Dissertation, Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, December 2021.
    Awards: Dean's Fellowship, NSF Fellowship, NDSEG Fellowship, IWSCFF travel award, European Commission’s Marie Sklodowska Curie Actions postdoc fellowship
  26. student portrait Álvaro Romero Calvo, "Novel Electromagnetic Space Applications: Electron-Based Touchless Potential Sensing and Low-Gravity Magnetohydrodynamics," Ph.D. Dissertation, Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, August 2022.
    Awards: La Caixa Fellowship Program, Rafael Del Pino Fellowship, Dean's Graduate Fellowship, ASGSR Ken Souza Blue Origin Flight Award, finalist of IAF Luigi G. Napolitano Award, ASGSR travel award, APS travel award, Graduate Award for Research, Honorable mention for outstanding in International contest of PhD theses in the field of Magnetic Fluids.
  27. student portrait Anne Bennett, "Methods to Detect Minor Debris Strikes in Spacecraft Telemetry," Ph.D. Dissertation, Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, December 2022.
    Awards: Dean's Assistantship, National Military Family Association scholarship, Draper Graduate Fellowship, NASA NSTRF Fellowship, Zonta International Amelia Earhart Fellowship
  28. student portrait John R. Martin, "Physics-Informed Neural Networks for Gravity Field Modeling," Ph.D. Dissertation, Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, December 2023.
    Awards: Dean's Assistantship, NSF Fellowship, John A. Vise Graduate Student Excellence Award, Graduate School Completion Fellowship
  29. student portrait Samuel W. Albert, "Aerocapture, Entry, and Co-Delivery in Uncertain Planetary Atmospheres," Ph.D. Dissertation, Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, December 2023.
    Awards: NASA Science and Technology Research Fellowship (NSTRF), Matthew Isakowitz Fellowship and Stamps Scholar, John A. Vise Graduate Student Excellence Award, IPPW Outstanding Student Presentation Award
  30. student portrait Adam Herrmann, "Reinforcement Learning for Spacecraft Planning and Scheduling," Ph.D. Dissertation, Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, December 2023.
    Awards: NSTGRO Fellowship, NSF Fellowship, John A. Vise Graduate Student Excellence Award

Ph.D. Advisory Committee Member for:

  1. student portrait Matthew Berry, "A Variable-Step Double-Integration Multi-Step Integrator," Ph.D. Dissertation, Aerospace and Ocean Engineering Department, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Blacksburg, VA, May 2004.
  2. student portrait Jana L. Schwartz, "The Distributed Spacecraft Attitude Control System Simulator: From Design Concept to Decentralized Control," Ph.D. Dissertation, Aerospace and Ocean Engineering Department, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Blacksburg, VA, July 2004.
  3. student portrait Mischa Kim, "Continuous Low-Thrust Trajectory Optimization: Techniques and Applications," Ph.D. Dissertation, Aerospace and Ocean Engineering Department, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Blacksburg, VA, May 2005.
  4. student portraitMarcus Holzinger, "Optimal Control Applications in Space Situational," Ph.D. Dissertation, Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, May 2011.
  5. student portrait Sungwoo Moon, "Auto-Tuning of Digitally Controlled Single-Phase Low Harmonic Rectifiers and Inverters," Ph.D. Dissertation, Electrical Engineering Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, May 2011.
  6. student portrait Jay McMahon, "An Analytical Theory for the Perturbative Effect of Solar Radiation Pressure on Natural and Artificial Satellites", Ph.D. Dissertation, Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, August 2011.
  7. student portrait Jill Tombasco, "Orbit Estimation of Geosynchronous Objects Via Ground-Based and Space-Based Optical Tracking," Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, August 2011.
  8. student portraitMike Krieg, "Modeling and Thrust Optimization of a Bio-Inspired Pulsatile Jet Thruster," Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, May, 2012.
  9. student portrait Aurore Sibois, "GPS-based Sub-Hourly Polar Motion Estimates: Strategies and Applications," Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, December 2011.
  10. student portrait Christine Hartzell, "The Dynamics of Near-Surface Dust on Airless Bodies," Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO. August 2012
  11. student portrait Dylan R. Boone, "Integration of Geodesy Mission Design and Navigation for Planetary Satellite Orbiters," Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO. May 2013
  12. student portrait David Gerhardt, "Small Satellite Passive Magnetic Attitude Control," Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO. May 2014
  13. student portrait Aaron Rosengren, "Long-term Dynamical Behavior of Highly Perturbed Natural and Artificial Celestial Bodies," Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO. May 2014
  14. student portrait Simon Tardivel, "The Deployment of Scientific Packages to Asteroid Surfaces," Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO. May 2014
  15. student portrait Masatoshi Hirabayashi, "Structural Stability of Asteroids," Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO. Aug 2014.
  16. student portrait Antonella Albuja, "Rotational Dynamics of Inactive Satellites as a Result of the YORP Effect," Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO. Dec. 2015.
  17. student portrait Inkwan Park, "Dynamical Realism and Uncertainty Propagation," Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO. May 2016.
  18. student portrait Zubin Olikara, "Collocation Techniques for Computing Quasi-Periodic Tori and Connecting Orbits in Astrodynamics," Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO. May 2016
  19. student portrait Anthony Harness, "High Contrast Astronomy with Starshades," Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO. Dec. 2016.
  20. student portrait Nicola Baresi, "Spacecraft Formation Flight on Quasi-periodic Invariant Tori," Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, May 2017.
  21. student portrait Ann Dietrich, "Supporting Autonomous Navigation with Flash Lidar Images in Proximity to Small Celestial Bodies," Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, August 2017.
  22. student portrait Samantha Rieger, "Natural and Artificial Satellite Dynamics and Evolution around Near-Earth Asteroids with Solar Radiation Pressure", Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO. December 2017.
  23. student portrait Stefaan Van Wal, "High-Fidelity Simulation of Small-Body Lander/Rover Spacecraft", Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO. May 2018.
  24. student portrait Benjamin Bercovici, "Mapping And Navigation Of Small Bodies In The Presence Of Uncertainty", Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO. May 2019
  25. student portrait Daniel N. Brack, "Investigations into the Relationship Between Surface Activity and the Dynamical State of Asteroids", Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO. Dec. 2019
  26. student portrait Alex Davis, "On Binary Asteroids: Dynamics, Formation and Parameter Estimation", Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO. Aug. 2020.
  27. student portrait Conor Benson, "Solar Torque and Dissipation Dynamics for Tumbling Bodies: Theory and Observations", Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO. June 2021.
  28. student portrait Daniel Aguilar Marsillach, "Abort-Safe Spacecraft Motion: Reachability Theory and Predictive Control", Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO. Dec. 2021.
  29. student portrait Chandrakanth Venigalla, "Multi-Spacecraft Cooperative and Non-Cooperative Trajectory Optimization", Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO. Dec. 2021
  30. student portrait Sean Napier, "Novel Transcription Techniques for Multiple-Spacecraft, Multiple-Target Global Trajectory Optimization", Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO. Dec. 2021
  31. student portrait Casey R. Heidrich, "Optimal Covariance Control on Singular Manifolds with Application to Aerospace Mission Design", Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO. Dec. 2021
  32. student portrait Hermann K. Sipowa, "Stochastic and Distributed Geometric Guidance for Spacecraft Formation Planning", Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO. May 2022.
  33. student portrait Ian Elliott, "Relative Trajectory Design and Control near Periodic Orbits in Multi-Body Systems using Local Toroidal Coordinates", Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO. May 2022.
  34. student portrait Thomas Dearing, "Efficient Trajectory Optimization for Constrained Spacecraft Attitude Maneuvers using Momentum Exchange Devices," Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO. May 2023.
  35. student portrait Oscar Fuentes Muñoz, "Semi-analytical Methods of Orbit Propagation for Near-Earth Asteroids", Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO. July 2023.
  36. student portrait Taralicin Deka, "Astrodynamics-Informed Kinodynamic Motion Planning For Relative Spacecraft Motion", Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO. Aug. 2023.
  37. student portrait Damennick B. Henry, "Leveraging Quasi-periodic Orbits for Spacecraft Trajectory Design and Control," Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO. May 2024.
  38. student portrait Ryotaro Sakamoto, Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO.
    (comp exam on Sept. 21, 2018)
  39. student portrait Alex J. Meyer, Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO.
    (comp exam in summer, 2023)
  40. student portrait Savannah Buchner, Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO.
    (comp exam in fall, 2023)