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The Advanced Astrodynamics Concepts (AAC) research group is led by Professor James M. Longuski  and Professor Sarag Saikia in the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Purdue University. The research group concentrates on spacecraft and mission design concepts that may advance both robotic and human exploration of the Solar System in the next decades.

 Some of the ongoing research projects include the following:

  • Mission architecture to establish permanent human presence on Mars.
  • Aerocapture techniques, concepts, and technology forecasting.
  • Mission concepts for the exploration of small solar system bodies (minor planets, asteroids, comets, KBOs etc.).
  • Rapid conceptual planetary science mission design.
  • Design of planetary atmospheric probes for the exploration of the gas giant planets.
  • Innovative and low-cost planetary exploration missions concepts using small satellites.
  • Systems and technologies for Venus In Situ Missions.
  • Development of analytical planetary entry theories for conceptual design and on-board guidance.
  • Mission concept formulation for the exploration of the Ice-Giant planets, Uranus and Neptune. Includes trajectory design; entry, descent, and landing, and their interaction with science objectives.
  • Design of aerogravity assist missions.
  • Analytic theory of spacecraft attitude dynamics and control.
  • Deep space radiation mitigation using an Ultra-Massive Mars Cycler.

Please see the dissertations and publications section to know more about the past research carried out by the group. Information for prospective students can be found here. You can explore students’ spacecraft design projects or learn elementary rocket science for beginners. There is also a page dedicated to media. Explore.

 

Dr. James M. Longuski

Dr. Longuski (Long-gus-ske) graduated from the University of Michigan with a B.S.E. (cum laude) in Aerospace Engineering in 1973, an M.S.E. in Aerospace Engineering in 1975, and a Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering in 1979. Throughout his education in aerospace engineering he specialized in the area of Flight Mechanics and Control. His dissertation (under the direction of Professors N.X. Vinh and D.T. Greenwood) was entitled Analytic Theory of Orbit Contraction and Ballistic Entry into Planetary Atmospheres.

In 1979, Dr. Longuski accepted the position of Senior Engineer in the Guidance and Control section of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory at California Institute of Technology. There he worked in the area of maneuver analysis, analytic theory of spinning and thrusting rigid bodies, rigid and flexible body dynamics, and probabilistic error analysis for the Galileo spacecraft.

In 1982, Dr. Longuski joined the Mission Design section at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, where as a Member of the Technical Staff he worked on the trajectory and mission design for Project Galileo. Responsibilities included designing the orbital tour of Jupiter for Galileo, which required knowledge of celestial mechanics, science and navigation requirements, and simulation.

In 1988, Dr. Longuski accepted the position of Assistant Professor at Purdue University, where he is teaching and researching in the area of spacecraft dynamics and controls. In 1992, Dr. Longuski was promoted to Associate Professor (with tenure). In 1998, he was promoted to Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Dr. Longuski is co-inventor of a Method of Velocity Precision Pointing in Spin-Stabilized Spacecraft or Rockets and is an Associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). Professor Longuski has published over 200 conference and journal papers in the general area of Astrodynamics including such topics as spacecraft dynamics and control, reentry theory, mission design, space trajectory optimization, and a New Test of General Relativity. He has also published two books, Advice to Rocket Scientists (AIAA, 2004) and How to Think Like a Rocket Scientist (Springer, 2007).

Dissertations

Ph.D. Theses Completed  

1. P. Tsiotras, Ph.D., Analytic Theory of Asymmetric Rigid Bodies Subject to Arbitrary Body-Fixed Torques and Forces, Ph.D. Thesis, May 1993.

In 1994, Dr. Tsiotras accepted the (tenure track) position of Assistant Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University of Virginia. In 2005, Dr.Tsiotras was promoted to Professor of Aerospace Engineering at Georgia Tech.

2. J. Puig-Suari, Ph.D., Aerobraking Tethers for the Exploration of the Solar System, Ph.D. Thesis, August 1993.

In 1994, Dr. Puig-Suari accepted the (tenure track) position of Assistant Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Arizona State University. Since 2005, Dr. Puig-Suari has been Professor and Head of Aerospace Engineering at Cal. Poly.

3. J. A. Sims, Ph.D., Delta-V Gravity-Assist Trajectory Design: Theory and Practice, Ph.D. Thesis, December 1996.

In January 1997, Dr. Sims accepted the position of Member of Technical Staff in the Navigation and Flight Mechanics Section of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology.

4. S. G. Tragesser, Ph.D., Analysis and Design of Aerobraking Tethers, Ph.D. Thesis, December 1997.

In 1997, Dr. Tragesser accepted a position with Charles Stark Draper Laboratory in Cambridge, MA. In 1999 Dr. Tragesser accepted the (tenure track) position of Assistant Professor in the Department of Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering at the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT). In 2004, Dr. Tragesser accepted the position of Assistant Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at University of Colorado at Colorado Springs.

5. R. A. Gick, Ph.D. (formerly R. Beck), Analysis of the Motion of Spinning, Thrusting Spacecraft, Ph.D. Thesis, December 1999.

In January 2000, Dr. Gick accepted a position with the Aerospace Corporation in El Segundo, CA.

6. A. E. Petropoulos, Ph.D., A Shape-Based Approach to Automated, Low-Thrust, Gravity-Assist Trajectory Design, Ph.D. Thesis, May 2001.

In June 2001 Dr. Petropoulos accepted the position of Member of Technical Staff in the Navigation and Mission Design Section of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology.

7. W. R. Johnson, Ph.D., Analysis and Design of Aeroassisted Interplanetary Missions, Ph.D. Thesis, December 2002.

Dr. Johnson accepted the position of Member of Technical Staff in the Navigation and Mission Design Section of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, in 2003.

8. McConaghy, T. Troy, Ph.D., Design and Optimization of Interplanetary Spacecraft Trajectories, Ph.D. Thesis, December 2004.

9. Jokic, Michael, Ph.D., Modeling and Analysis of Tethered Systems Performing Orbital Maneuvers, Ph.D. Thesis, May 2005 (School of Engineering, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.)

Professor Longuski served as co-advisor (with Dr. Bill Daniel at The University of Queensland). Michael Jokic spent approximately two years as a visiting researcher at Purdue working under the direction of Professor Longuski.

10. Landau, Damon, Strategies for the Sustained Human Exploration of Mars, Ph.D. Thesis, December 2006.

Dr. Landau joined the Jet Propulsion Laboratory after this doctoral degree.

11. Okutsu, Masataka, Design of Human Missions to Mars and Robotic Missions to Jupiter,Ph.D. Thesis, December 2006.

Dr. Okutsu joined as a post-doctoral researcher in the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Purdue University.

12. Ayoubi, Mohammad, Analytical Theory for the Motion of Spinning Rigid Bodies,Ph.D. Thesis, May 2007.

Dr. Ayoubi is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Santa Clara University.

13. Yam, Chit Hong, Design of Missions to the Outer Planets and Optimization of Low-thrust, Gravity-Assist Trajectories via Reduced Parameterization, Ph.D. Thesis, May 2008.

14. Gates, Kristin L., Theory and Applications of Ballute Aerocapture and Dual-Use Ballute Systems for Exploration of the Solar System, Ph.D. Thesis, August 2009.

Dr. Gates works for the Global Aerospace Corporation based in California.

15. Chen, Kuan-Hua Joseph, Design of Low-Thrust Gravity-Assist Trajectories for Cycler Missions to Mars and for Non-Newtonian Physics Experiments, Ph.D. Thesis, May 2010.

16. Pollock, George E. IV, Propellantless Spacecraft Maneuvers Using The Electromagnetic Lorentz Force, Ph.D. Thesis, May 2010.

Dr. Pollock joined The Aerospace Corporation after his doctoral degree.

17. Gangestad, Joseph, Analytical Theory for Orbits of Electrostatically Charged Spacecraft and Direct Calculation of Planet-to-Planet Transfers, Ph.D. Thesis, December 2010.

Dr. Gangestad joined The Aerospace Corporation after his doctoral degree.

18. Kloster, Kevin, Interplanetary Mission Design Techniques for Flagship-Class Missions, Ph.D. Thesis, December 2010.

Dr. Kloster joined The Aerospace Corporation after his doctoral degree.

19. Lynam, Alfred E. Mission design and navigation of multiple-satellite-aided capture trajectories and cyclers for missions to Jupiter, Ph.D. Thesis, May 2012.

Dr. Lynam accepted the position of Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, West Virginia University from July 2012.

20. Rogers, Blake A, Design of Cycler Trajectories and Analysis of Solar Influences on Radioactive Decay Rates During Space Missions, Ph.D. Thesis, May 2014.

21. Martin, Kaela M., Maneuver Analysis for Spinning Thrusting Spacecraft and Spinning Tethered Spacecraft, Ph.D. Thesis, May 2015.

Dr. Martin is an Assistant Professor of Aerospace Engineering at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, AZ as well as a Visiting Researcher at JPL.

22. Laipert, Frank E., Design of Low-Thrust Missions to Asteroids with Analysis of the Missed-Thrust Problem, Ph.D. Thesis, May 2015.

Dr. Laipert is a Flight Path Control Engineer at JPL and was part of the Cassini navigation team.

23. Saikia, Sarag J., Analytical Theories for Spacecraft Entry into Planetary Atmospheres and Design of Planetary Probes, Ph.D. Thesis, July 2015.

Dr. Saikia spent several years as a Research Professor at Purdue and is currently working with the Indian Space Agency.

24. Strange, Nathan J., Analytical Methods for Gravity-Assist Tour Design, Ph.D. Thesis, August 2016.

Dr. Strange is the Group Supervisor for the Mission Engineering and Planning Group (since 2017) in the JPL Mission Systems Engineering Section (394).

25. Hughes, Kyle M., Gravity-Assist Trajectories to Venus, Mars, and the Ice Giants: Mission Design with Human and Robotic Applications, Ph.D. Thesis, August 2016.

Dr. Hughes is an Interplanetary Mission Designer in the Global Trajectory Optimization lab in the Navigation and Mission Design Branch at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.

26. Edelman, Peter J., Interplanetary Mission Design with Applications to Guidance and Optimal Control of Aero-Assisted Trajectories, Ph.D. Thesis, August 2016.

Dr. Edelman works at The Aerospace Corporation performing trajectory optimization and analysis for the Department of Defense, the US Air Force, and other civilian contractors.


M.S. Theses Completed  

1. S.N. Williams, M.S., Automated Design of Multiple Encounter Gravity-Assist Trajectories,M.S. Thesis, August, 1990.

Mr. Williams accepted the position of Member of Technical Staff in the Mission Design Section of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, in 1990.

2. M. R. Patel, M.S., Automated Design of Delta-V Gravity-Assist Trajectories for Solar System Exploration, M.S. Thesis, August 1993.

Journal Publications

Arranged Chronologically

1. Vinh, N.X., Longuski, J.M., Busemann, A., and Culp, R.D., “Analytic Theory of Orbit Contraction Due to Atmospheric Drag,” Acta Astronautica, Vol. 6, May/June 1979, pp. 697-723.

2. Longuski, J.M. and Kia, T., “A Parametric Study of the Behavior of the Angular Momentum Vector During Spin Rate Changes of Rigid Body Spacecraft,” Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics, Vol. 7, No. 3, May-June 1984, pp. 295-300.

3. Vinh, N.X., Johannesen, J.R., Longuski, J.M., and Hanson, J.M., “Second-Order Analytic Solution for Aerocapture and Ballistic Fly-Through Trajectories,” Journal of the Astronautical Sciences, Vol. 32, No. 4, October-December 1984, pp. 429-445.

4. Longuski, J.M., “On the Attitude Motion of a Self-Excited Rigid Body,” Journal of the Astronautical Sciences, Vol. 32, No. 4, October-December 1984, pp. 463-473.

5. Hintz, G.R. and Longuski, J.M., “Error Analysis for the Delivery of a Spinning Probe to Jupiter,” Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics, Vol. 8, No. 3, May-June 1985, pp. 384-390.

6. Longuski, J.M., Kia, T., and Breckenridge, W.G., “Annihilation of Angular Momentum Bias During Spinning-Up and Thrusting Maneuvers,” Journal of the Astronautical Sciences, Vol. 37, No. 4, October-December 1989, pp. 433-450.

7. Longuski, J.M., “Real Solutions for the Attitude Motion of a Self-Excited Rigid Body,” Acta Astronautica, Vol. 25, No. 3, March 1991, pp. 131-140.

8. Williams, S.N. and Longuski, J.M., “Low Energy Trajectories to Mars via Gravity Assist from Venus and Earth,” Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, Vol. 28, No. 4, July-August 1991, pp. 486-488.

9. Longuski, J.M. and Williams, S.N., “The Last Grand Tour Opportunity to Pluto,” Journal of the Astronautical Sciences, Vol. 39, No. 3, July-September 1991, pp. 359-365.

10. Puig-Suari, J. and Longuski, J.M., “Modeling and Analysis of Orbiting Tethers in an Atmosphere,” Acta Astronautica, Vol. 25, No. 11, November 1991, pp. 679-686.

11. Tsiotras, P. and Longuski, J.M., “A Complex Analytic Solution for the Attitude Motion of a Near-Symmetric Rigid Body Under Body-Fixed Torques,” Celestial Mechanics and Dynamical Astronomy, Vol. 51, No. 3, 1991, pp. 281-301.

12. Longuski, J.M. and Williams, S.N., “Automated Design of Gravity-Assist Trajectories to Mars and the Outer Planets,” Celestial Mechanics and Dynamical Astronomy, Vol. 52, No. 3, 1991, pp. 207-220.

13. Longuski, J.M., “Probabilities of Escape, Reentry, and Orbit Decay Due to Misdirected Injection Maneuvers,” Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics, Vol. 15, No. 2, March-April 1992, pp. 410-415.

14. Longuski, J.M., Todd, R.E., and Koenig, W.W., “Survey of Nongravitational Forces and Space Environmental Torques: Applied to the Galileo,” Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics, Vol. 15, No. 3, May-June 1992, pp. 545-553.

15. Ostoja-Starzewski, M. and Longuski, J.M., “Stochastic Hill’s Equations for the Study of Errant Rocket Burns in Orbit,” Celestial Mechanics and Dynamical Astronomy, Vol. 54, 1992, pp. 295-303.

16. Byrnes, D.V., Longuski, J.M., and Aldrin, B., “The Cycler Orbit Between Earth and Mars,” Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, Vol. 30, No. 3, May-June 1993, pp. 334-336.

17. Longuski, J.M. and Tsiotras, P., “Analytic Solutions for a Spinning Rigid Body Subject to Time-Varying Body-Fixed Torques, Part I: Constant Axial Torque,” Journal of Applied Mechanics, Vol. 60, December 1993, pp. 970-975.

18. Tsiotras, P. and Longuski, J.M., “Analytic Solutions for a Spinning Rigid Body Subject to Time-Varying Body-Fixed Torques, Part II: Time-Varying Axial Torque,” Journal of Applied Mechanics, Vol. 60, December 1993, pp. 976-981.

19. Tsiotras, P. and Longuski, J.M., “New Kinematic Relations for the Large Angle Problem in Rigid Body Attitude Dynamics,” Acta Astronautica, Vol. 32, No. 3, March 1994, pp. 181-190.

20. Tsiotras, P. and Longuski, J.M., “Spin-Axis Stabilization of Symmetric Spacecraft with Two Control Torques,” Systems & Control Letters, Vol. 23, December 1994, pp. 395-402.

21. Petropoulos, A. and Longuski, J.M., “Analysis of Mapping Coverage Obtained from Spacecraft,” Celestial Mechanics and Dynamical Astronomy, Vol. 60, 1994, pp. 431-454.

22. Longuski, J.M., Puig-Suari, J., and Mechalas, J., “Aerobraking Tethers for the Exploration of the Solar System,” Acta Astronautica, Vol. 35, No. 2/3, January/February 1995, pp. 205-214.

23. Longuski, J.M. and Tsiotras, P., “Analytic Solution of the Large Angle Problem in Rigid Body Attitude Dynamics,” Journal of the Astronautical Sciences, Vol. 43, No. 1, January-March 1995, pp. 25-46.

24. Longuski, J.M., Puig-Suari, J., Tsiotras, P., and Tragesser, S.G., “Optimal Mass for Aerobraking Tethers,” Acta Astronautica, Vol. 35, No. 8, April 1995, pp. 489-500.

25. Patel, M.R., Longuski, J.M., and Sims, J.A., “A Uranus-Neptune-Pluto Opportunity,” Acta Astronautica, Vol. 36, No. 2, July 1995, pp. 91-98.

26. Tsiotras, P. and Longuski, J.M., “A New Parameterization of the Attitude Kinematics,” Journal of the Astronautical Sciences, Vol. 43, No. 3, July-September 1995, pp. 243-262.

27. Tsiotras, P., Corless, M., and Longuski, J.M., “A Novel Approach to the Attitude Control of Axi-Symmetric Spacecraft,” Automatica, Vol. 31, No. 8, August 1995, pp. 1099-1112.

28. Puig-Suari, J., Longuski, J.M., and Tragesser, S.G., “A Tether Sling for Lunar and Interplanetary Exploration,” Acta Astronautica, Vol. 36, No. 6, September 1995, pp. 291-295.

29. Puig-Suari, J., Longuski, J.M., and Tragesser, S.G., “Aerocapture with a Flexible Tether,” Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics, Vol. 18, No. 6, November-December 1995, pp. 1305-1312.

30. Tsiotras, P. and Longuski, J.M., “Analytic Solution of Euler’s Equations of Motion for an Asymmetric Rigid Body,” Journal of Applied Mechanics, Vol. 63, No. 1, March 1996, pp. 149-155.

31. Sims, J.A., Longuski, J.M., and Staugler, A.J., “V-infinity Leveraging for Interplanetary Missions: Multiple-Revolution Orbit Techniques,” Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics, Vol. 20, No. 3, May-June 1997, pp. 409-415.

32. Beck, R.A. and Longuski, J.M., “Annihilation of Transverse Velocity Bias During Spinning-Up Maneuvers,” Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics, Vol. 20, No. 3, May-June 1997, pp. 416-421.

33. Sims, J.A., Staugler, A.J., and Longuski, J.M., “Trajectory Options to Pluto via Gravity Assists from Venus, Mars, and Jupiter,” Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, Vol. 34, No. 3, May-June 1997, pp. 347-353.

34. Tragesser, S.G., Longuski, J.M., and Puig-Suari, J., “Global Minimum Mass for Aerobraking Tethers,” Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics, Vol. 20, No. 6, November-December 1997, pp. 1260-1262.

35. Sims, J.A., Longuski, J.M., and Staugler, A.J., “Trajectory Options for Low-Cost Missions to Asteroids,” Acta Astronautica, Vol. 41, No. 11, December 1997, pp. 731-737.

36. Biswell, B.L., Puig-Suari, J., Longuski, J.M., and Tragesser, S.G., “Three-Dimensional Hinged-Rod Model for Elastic Aerobraking Tethers,” Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics, Vol. 21, No. 2, April 1998, pp. 286-295.

37. Patel, M.R., Longuski, J.M., and Sims, J.A., “Mars Free Return Trajectories, Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, Vol. 35, No. 3, May-June 1998, pp. 350-354.

38. Tragesser, S.G. and Longuski, J.M., “Analysis and Design of the Aerobraking Tether for Stochastic Errors,” Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, Vol. 35, No. 5, September-October 1998, pp. 683-689.

39. Longuski, J.M., Tragesser, S.G., and Puig-Suari, J., “Characterization of the Optimal Mass Problem for Aerobraking Tethers,” Acta Astronautica, Vol. 44, No. 5-6, March 1999, pp. 227-241.

40. Tragesser, S.G. and Longuski, J.M., “Modeling Issues Concerning Motion of the Saturnian Satellites,” Journal of the Astronautical Sciences, Vol. 47, Nos. 3 and 4, July-December 1999, pp. 275-294.

41. Gick, R.A., Williams, M.H., and Longuski, J.M., “Floquet Approximation for a Nearly Axisymmetric Rigid Body with Constant Transverse Torque,” Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics, Vol. 22, No. 5, September-October 1999, pp. 658-663.

42. Sims, J.A., Longuski, J.M., and Patel, M.R., “Aerogravity-Assist Trajectories to the Outer Planets and the Effect of Drag,” Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, Vol. 37, No. 1, January-February 2000, pp. 49-55.

43. Javorsek II, D. and Longuski, J.M., “Velocity Pointing Errors Associated with Spinning Thrusting Spacecraft,” Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, Vol. 37, No. 3, May-June 2000, pp. 359-365.

44. Gick, R.A., Williams, M.H., and Longuski, J.M., “Periodic Solutions for Spinning Asymmetric Rigid Bodies with Constant Principal-Axis Torque,” Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics, Vol. 23, No. 5, September-October 2000, pp. 781-788.

45. Bonfiglio, E.P., Longuski, J.M., and Vinh, N.X., “Automated Design of Aerogravity-Assist Trajectories,” Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, Vol. 37, No. 6, November-December 2000, pp. 768-775.

46. Petropoulos, A.E., Longuski, J.M., and Bonfiglio, E.P., “Trajectories to Jupiter via Gravity Assists from Venus, Earth, and Mars,” Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, Vol. 37, No. 6, November-December 2000, pp. 776-783.

47. Longuski, J.M., Fischbach, E., and Scheeres, D.J., “Deflection of Spacecraft Trajectories as a New Test of General Relativity,” Physical Review Letters, Vol. 86, No. 14, April 2, 2001, pp. 2942-2945.

48. Strange, N.J. and Longuski, J.M., “Graphical Method for Gravity-Assist Trajectory Design,” Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, Vol. 39, No. 1, January-February 2002, pp. 9-16.

49. Heaton, A.F., Strange, N.J., Longuski, J.M., and Bonfiglio, E.P., “Automated Design of the Europa Orbiter Tour,” Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, Vol. 39, No. 1, January-February 2002, pp. 17-22.

50. Johnson, W.R. and Longuski, J.M., “Design of Aerogravity-Assist Trajectories,” Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, Vol. 39, No. 1, January-February 2002, pp. 23-30.

51. Okutsu, M. and Longuski, J.M., “Mars Free Returns via Gravity Assist from Venus,” Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, Vol. 39, No. 1, January-February 2002, pp. 31-36.

52. Johnson, W.R., Longuski, J.M., and Lyons, D.T., “Pitch Control During Auton-omous Aerobraking for Near-Term Mars Exploration,” Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, Vol. 40, No. 3, May-June 2003, pp. 371-379.

53. McConaghy, T.T., Debban, T.J., Petropoulos, A.E., and Longuski, J.M., “Design and Optimization of Low-Thrust Trajectories with Gravity-Assists,” Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, Vol. 40, No. 3, May-June 2003, pp. 380-387.

54. Heaton, A.F. and Longuski, J.M., “Feasibility of a Galileo-Style Tour of the Uranian Satellites,” Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, Vol. 40, No. 4, July-August 2003, pp. 591-596.

55. Johnson, W.R., Longuski, J.M., and Lyons, D.T., “Nondimensional Analysis of Reaction-Wheel Control for Aerobraking,” Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics, Vol. 26, No. 6, November-December 2003, pp. 861-868.

56. Longuski, J.M., Fischbach, E., Scheeres, D.J., Giampieri, G., and Park, R., “Deflection of Spacecraft Trajectories as a New Test of General Relativity: Determining the Parameterized Post-Newtonian Parameters β and γ,” Physical Review D, Vol. 69, February 20, 2004, pp. 42001-1-42001-15.

57. McConaghy, T.T., Longuski, J.M., and Byrnes, D.V., “Analysis of a Class of Earth-Mars Cycler Trajectories,” Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, Vol. 41, No. 4, July-August 2004, pp. 622-628.

58. Petropoulos, A.E. and Longuski, J.M., “Shaped-Based Algorithm for the Automated Design of Low-Thrust, Gravity-Assist Trajectories,” Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, Vol. 41, No. 5, September-October 2004, pp. 787-796.

59. Johnson, W.R., Longuski, J.M., and Lyons, D. T., “Six-Degree-of-Freedom Modeling of Semi-Autonomous Attitude Control During Aerobraking,” Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, Vol. 41, No. 5, September-October 2004, pp. 797-804.

60. Jokic, M.D. and Longuski, J.M., “Design of Tether Sling for Human Transportation Systems Between Earth and Mars,” Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, Vol. 41, No. 6, November-December 2004, pp. 1010-1015.

61. Landau, D.F., Longuski, J.M., and Penzo, P.A., “Method for Parking-Orbit Reorientation for Human Missions to Mars,” Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, Vol. 42, No. 3, May-June 2005, pp. 517-522.

62. Park, R.S., Scheeres, D.J., Giampieri, G., Longuski, J.M., and Fischbach, E., “Estimating Parameterized Post-Newtonian Parameters from Spacecraft Radiometric Tracking Data,” Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, Vol. 42, No. 3, May-June 2005, pp. 559-568.

63. McConaghy, T.T, Russell, R.P., and Longuski, J.M., “Toward a Standard Nomenclature for Earth-Mars Cycler Trajectories,” Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, Vol. 42, No. 4, July-August 2005, pp. 694-698.

64. Jokic, M.D. and Longuski, J.M., “Artificial Gravity and Abort Scenarios via Tethers for Human Missions to Mars,” Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, Vol. 42, No. 5, September-October 2005, pp. 883-889.

65. Chen, K.J., McConaghy, T.T., Landau, D.F., Longuski, J.M., and Aldrin, B., “Powered Earth-Mars Cycler with Three-Synodic-Period Repeat Time,” Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, Vol. 42, No. 5, September-October 2005, pp. 921-927.

66. Longuski, J.M., Gick, R.A., Ayoubi, M.A., and Randall, L., “Analytical Solutions for Thrusting, Spinning Spacecraft Subject to Constant Forces,” Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics, Vol. 28, No. 6, November-December 2005, pp. 1301-1308.

67. McConaghy, T.T., Landau, D.F., Yam, C.H., and Longuski, J.M., “Notable Two-Synodic-Period Earth-Mars Cycler,” Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, Vol. 43, No. 2, March-April 2006, pp. 456-465.

68. Landau, D.F. and Longuski, J.M., “Trajectories for Human Missions to Mars, Part I: Impulsive Transfers,” Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, Vol. 43, No. 5, September-October 2006, pp. 1035-1042.

69. Landau, D.F. and Longuski, J.M., “Trajectories for Human Missions to Mars, Part II: Low-Thrust Transfers,” Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, Vol. 43, No. 5, September-October 2006, pp. 1043-1047.

70. Landau, D.F., Longuski, J.M., and Aldrin, Buzz, “Continuous Mars Habitation with a Limited Number of Cycler Vehicles,” Journal of the British Interplanetary Society, Vol. 60, No. 4, April 2007, pp. 122-128.

71. Landau, D.F. and Longuski, J.M., “Guidance Strategy for Hyperbolic Rendezvous,” Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics, Vol. 30, No. 4, July-August 2007, pp. 1209-1213.

72. Landau, D.F. and Longuski, J.M., “Human Exploration of Mars via Earth-Mars Semicyclers,” Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, Vol. 44, No. 1, January-February 2007, pp. 203-210.

73. Ayoubi, M.A. and Longuski, J.M., “Axial Velocity Solution for Spinning-Up Rigid Bodies Subject to Constant Forces,” Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics, Vol. 30, No. 6, November-December 2007, pp. 1610-1618.

74. Ayoubi, M.A. and Longuski, J.M., “Analytical Solutions for Translational Motion of Spinning-Up Rigid Bodies Subject to Constant Body-Fixed Forces and Moments,” Journal of Applied Mechanics, Vol. 75, No. 1, January 2008, pp. 011004-1-011004-8

75. Ayoubi, M.A. and Longuski, J.M., “Asymptotic Theory and Limiting Cases for Spinning Spacecraft Subject to Constant Forces,” Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics, Vol. 31, No. 5, September-October 2008, pp. 1511-1516.

76. Ayoubi, M.A. and Longuski, J.M., “Asymptotic Theory for Thrusting, Spinning-Up Spacecraft Maneuvers,” Acta Astronautica, Vol. 64, March 2009, pp. 810-831.

77. Yam, C.H., Davis, D.C., Longuski, J.M., Howell, K.C., and Buffington, B., “Saturn Impact Trajectories for Cassini End-of-Mission,” Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, Vol. 46, March-April 2009, pp. 353-364.

78. Kloster, K.W., Yam, C.H., and Longuski, J.M., “Saturn Escape Options for Cassini Encore Missions,” Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, Vol. 46, July-August 2009, pp. 874-882.

79. Gangestad, J.W., Pollock, G.E., and Longuski, J.M., “Propellantless Stationkeeping at Enceladus via the Electromagnetic Lorentz Force,” Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics, Vol. 32, September-October 2009, pp. 1466-1475.

80. Landau, D.F., and Longuski, J.M., “Comparative Assessment of Human-Mars-Mission Technologies and Architectures,” Acta Astronautica, Vol. 65, October-November 2009, pp. 893-911.

81. Pollock, G.E., Gangestad, J.W., and Longuski, J.M., “Propellantless Formation Flight via Coulomb and Lorentz Forces,” Journal of the British Interplanetary Society, Vol. 63, No. 1, January 2010, pp. 2-8 .

82. Medlock, K.L.G., and Longuski, J.M., “Aerocapture Ballutes versus Aerocapture Tethers for Exploration of the Solar System,” Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, Vol. 47, No. 4, July-August 2010, pp. 590-596.

83. Pollock, G.E., Gangestad, J.W., and Longuski, J.M., “Inclination Change in LEO via the geomagnetic Lorentz Force,” submitted to the Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics, Vol. 33, No. 5, September-October 2010, pp. 1387-1395.

84. Gangestad, J.W., Pollock, G.E., Longuski, J.M., “Lagrange’s Planetary Equations for the Motion of Electrostatically Charged Spacecraft,” Celestial Mechanics and Dynamical Astronomy, Vol. 108, Issue 2, 2010, pp. 125-145.

85. Pollock, G.E., Gangestad, J.W., and Longuski, J.M., “Analytical Solutions for the Relative Motion of Spacecraft with Lorentz Force Perturbations,” Acta Astronautica, Vol. 68, Issues 1-2, January-February 2011, pp. 204-217.

86. Gangestad, J.W., Pollock, G.E., Longuski, J.M., “Analytical Expressions that Characterize Planetary Capture with Electrostatically Charged Spacecraft,” Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics, Vol. 34, No. 1, January-February 2011, pp. 247-258.

Conference Publications

Arranged Chronologically

1. Longuski, J.M., “Solution of Euler’s Equations of Motion and Eulerian Angles for Near Symmetric Rigid Bodies Subject to Constant Moments”, AIAA Paper No. 80-1642, AIAA/AAS Astrodynamics Conference, Danvers, Massachusetts, August 11-13, 1980.

2. Longuski, J.M., “Comments on the Leimanis Solution of Self-Excited Rigid Body,” Paper No. 81-104, AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Specialist Conference, Lake Tahoe, Nevada, August 3-5, 1981.

3. Longuski, J.M., “Galileo Maneuver Analysis,” Paper No. 81-137, AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Specialist Conference, Lake Tahoe, Nevada, August 3-5, 1981.

4. Longuski, J.M., “Simulation of the Galileo Spacecraft Axial Delta-V Algorithm,” Proceedings of the 10th IMAC (International Association for Mathematics and Computers in Simulation) World Congress on System Simulation and Scientific Computation, Volume 3, page 235, Montreal, Canada, August 8-13, 1982.

5. Longuski, J.M. and Koenig, W., “A Survey of Nongravitational Forces and Space Environmental Torques with Applications to the Galileo Spacecraft,” AIAA Paper No. 82-1457, AIAA/AAS Astrodynamics Conference, San Diego, California, August 9-11, 1982.

6. Longuski, J.M. and Kia, T., “A Parametric Study of the Behavior of the Angular Momentum Vector During Spin Rate Changes of Rigid Body Spacecraft,” AIAA Paper No. 82-1467, AIAA/AAS Astrodynamics Conference, San Diego, California, August 9-11, 1982.

7. Hintz, G.R. and Longuski, J.M., “Mission Analysis for the Delivery of a Spinning Probe to Jupiter,” AAS Paper 83-312, AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Specialist Conference, Lake Placid, New York, August 22-25, 1983.

8. Longuski, J.M., Kia, T., and Breckenridge, W.G., “Annihilation of Angular Momentum Drift During Spinning-Up and Thrusting Maneuvers of Rigid Bodies,” AAS Paper No. 83-408, AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Specialist Conference, Lake Placid, New York, August 22-25, 1983.

9. Vinh, N.X., Johannesen, J.R., Longuski, J.M., and Hanson, J.M., “Second-Order Analytic Solution for Aerocapture and Ballistic Fly-Through Trajectories,” AAS Paper No. 83-415, AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Specialist Conference, Lake Placid, New York, August 22-25, 1983.

10. Longuski, J.M. and Myers, M.R., “Analytic Models of Mapping Coverage of the Galilean Satellites,” AIAA Paper 84-1998, AIAA/AAS Astrodynamics Conference, Seattle, Washington, August 20-22, 1984.

11. Klumpe, E.W. and Longuski, J.M., “Secular Solution for Delta-V During Spin Rate Change Maneuvers of Rigid Body Spacecraft,” AIAA Paper 84-2011, AIAA/AAS Astrodynamics Conference, Seattle, Washington, August 20-22, 1984.

12. Kia, T. and Longuski, J.M., “Error Analysis of Analytic Solutions for Self-Excited Near Symmetric Rigid Bodies: A Numerical Study,” AIAA Paper 84-2018, AIAA/AAS Astrodynamics Conference, Seattle, Washington, August 20-22, 1984.

13. Longuski, J.M. and Wolf, A.A., “The Galileo Orbital Tour for the 1986 Launch Opportunity,” AIAA Paper 86-2006-CP, AIAA/AAS Astrodynamics Conference, Williamsburg, Virginia, August 18-20, 1986.

14. Friedlander, A., Niehoff, J., Byrnes, D., and Longuski, J.M., “Circulating Transportation Orbits between Earth and Mars,” AIAA Paper 86-2009-CP, AIAA/AAS Astrodynamics Conference, Williamsburg, Virginia, August 18-20, 1986.

15. Longuski, J.M., “An Analytic-Geometric Model of the Effect of Spherically Distributed Injection Errors for the Galileo and Ulysses Spacecraft,” AAS Paper 87-487, AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Specialist Conference, Kalispell, Montana, August 10-13, 1987.

16. Longuski, J.M. and McRonald, A.D., “An Analytic-Geometric Model of the Effect of Spherically Distributed Injection Errors for Galileo and Ulysses Spacecraft: The Multi-Stage Problem,” AIAA Paper 88-4245-CP, AIAA/AAS Astrodynamics Conference, Minneapolis, Minnesota, August 15-17, 1988.

17. Longuski, J.M., Campbell, R.S., and Klumpe, E.W., “Error Analysis for Pulsed Maneuvers of a Dual-Spin Spacecraft,” AAS Paper 89-396, AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Specialist Conference, Stowe, Vermont, August 7-10, 1989.

18. Puig-Suari, J. and Longuski, J.M., “Modeling and Analysis of Orbiting Tethers in an Atmosphere,” AIAA Paper 90-2897, AIAA/AAS Astrodynamics Conference, Portland, Oregon, August 20-22, 1990.

19. Williams, S.N. and Longuski, J.M., “Automated Design of Multiple Encounter Gravity-Assist Trajectories,” AIAA Paper 90-2982, AIAA/AAS Astrodynamics Conference, Portland, Oregon, August 20-22, 1990.

20. Longuski, J.M., “Real Solutions for the Attitude Motion of a Self-Excited Rigid Body,” IAF Paper 90-317, 41st Congress of the International Astronautical Federation, Dresden, Germany, October 6-12, 1990.

21. Longuski, J.M. and Tsiotras, P., “Attitude Motion of a Rigid Body Subject to Polynomial Torques,” AAS Paper 91-405, AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Conference, Durango, Colorado, August 19-22, 1991.

22. Tsiotras, P. and Longuski, J.M., “Analytic Solutions for the Attitude Motion of Spinning Rigid Bodies Subject to Periodic Torques,” AAS Paper 91-404, AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Conference, Durango, Colorado, August 19-22, 1991.

23. Puig-Suari, J. and Longuski, J.M., “Perturbation Analysis of Aerocapture with Tethers,” AAS Paper 91-549, AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Conference, Durango, Colorado, August 19-22, 1991.

24. Longuski, J.M. and Puig-Suari, J., “Hyperbolic Aerocapture and Elliptic Orbit Transfer with Tethers,” IAF Paper 91-339, 42nd Congress of the International Astronautical Federation, Montreal, Canada, October 5-11, 1991.

25. Tsiotras, P. and Longuski, J.M., “A Complex Analytic Solution for the Attitude Motion of a Near-Symmetric Rigid Body Under Body-Fixed Torques,” IAF Paper No. 91-359, 42nd Congress of the International Astronautical Federation, Montreal, Canada, October 5-11, 1991.

26. Puig-Suari, J. and Longuski, J.M., “Aerocapture with a Flexible Tether,” AIAA Paper No. 92-4662, AIAA/AAS Astrodynamics Conference, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, August 10-12, 1992.

27. Puig-Suari, J., Longuski, J.M., and Mechalas, J., “Aerobraking Tethers for the Exploration of the Solar System,” IAF Paper No. 92-0001, 43rd Congress (The World Space Congress) of the International Astronautical Federation, Washington, D.C., August 28-September 5, 1992.

28. Tsiotras, P. and Longuski, J.M., “On the Large Angle Problem in Rigid Body Attitude Dynamics,” IAF Paper No. 92-0034, 43rd Congress (The World Space Congress) of the International Astronautical Federation, Washington, D.C., August 28-September 5, 1992.

29. Tsiotras, P. and Longuski, J.M., “On Attitude Stabilization of Symmetric Spacecraft with Two Control Torques,” American Control Conference, San Francisco, California, June 2-4, 1993.

30. Tsiotras, P. and Longuski, J.M., “Analytic Solution of Euler’s Equations of Motion for an Asymmetric Rigid Body,” AAS Paper 93-580, AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Conference, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, August 16-19, 1993.

31. Patel, M.R. and Longuski, J.M., “Automated Design of Delta-V Gravity-Assist Trajectories for Solar System Exploration,” AAS Paper 93-682, AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Conference, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, August 16-19, 1993.

32. Puig-Suari, J., Longuski, J.M., and Tragesser, S., “A Three Dimensional Hinged-Rod Model for Flexible-Elastic Aerobraking Tethers,” AAS Paper 93-730, AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Conference, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, August 16-19, 1993.

33. Longuski, J.M., Puig-Suari, J., Tsiotras, P., and Tragesser, S., “Optimal Mass for Aerobraking Tethers,” 44th Congress of the International Astronautical Federation, Graz, Austria, October 16-22, 1993.

34. Tsiotras, P., Corless, M., and Longuski, J.M., “Invariant Manifold Techniques for Attitude Control of Symmetric Spacecraft,” 32nd IEEE Conference on Decision and Control, San Antonio, Texas, December 15-17, 1993.

35. Sims, J.A. and Longuski, J.M., “Aerogravity-Assist Trajectories to the Outer Planets,” IAA-L-0405P, IAA International Conference on Low-Cost Planetary Missions, Laurel, Maryland, April 12-15, 1994.

36. Patel, J.R. and Longuski, J.M., “A Uranus-Neptune-Pluto Opportunity,” IAA-L-0408, IAA International Conference on Low-Cost Planetary Missions, Laurel, Maryland, April 12-15, 1994.

37. Puig-Suari, J., Longuski, J.M., and Tragesser, S., “A Tether Sling for Lunar and Interplanetary Exploration,” IAA-L-0701P, IAA International Conference on Low-Cost Planetary Missions, Laurel, Maryland, April 12-15, 1994.

38. Beck, R.A. and Longuski, J.M., “Analytic Solution for the Velocity of a Rigid Body During Spinning-Up Maneuvers,” AIAA Paper No. 94-3713, AIAA/AAS Astrodynamics Conference, Scottsdale, Arizona, August 1-3, 1994.

39. Tragesser, S.G., Longuski, J.M., Puig-Suari, J., and Mechalas, J.P., “Analysis of the Optimal Mass Problem for Aerobraking Tethers,” AIAA Paper No. 94-3747, AIAA/AAS Astrodynamics Conference, Scottsdale, Arizona, August 1-3, 1994.

40. Patel, M.R., Longuski, J.M., and Sims, J.A., “Mars Free Return Trajectories,” AIAA Paper No. 94-3766, AIAA/AAS Astrodynamics Conference, Scottsdale, Arizona, August 1-3, 1994.

41. Petropoulos, A.E. and Longuski, J.M., “Analysis of Mapping Coverage Obtained from Spacecraft,” AIAA Paper No. 94-3767, AIAA/AAS Astrodynamics Conference, Scottsdale, Arizona, August 1-3, 1994.

42. Sims, J.A. and Longuski, J.M., “Analysis of Leveraging for Interplanetary Missions,” AIAA Paper No. 94-3769, AIAA/AAS Astrodynamics Conference, Scottsdale, Arizona, August 1-3, 1994.

43. Tragesser, S.G., Longuski, J.M., and Puig-Suari, J., “An Analytic Characterization of the Optimal Mass Problem for Aerobraking Tethers,” Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference on Tethers In Space, pp. 1217-2381, Washington, D.C., April 10-14, 1995.

44. Tragesser, S.G., Longuski, J.M., and Puig-Suari, J., “A General Approach to Aerobraking Tether Design,” AAS Paper 95-353, AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Conference, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, August 14-17, 1995.

45. Sims, J.A., Longuski, J.M., and Staugler, A.J., “Leveraging for Interplanetary Missions: Multiple-Revolution Orbit Techniques,” AAS Paper 95-306, AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Conference, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, August 14-17, 1995.

46. Randall, L.A., Longuski, J.M., and Beck, R.A., “Complex Analytic Solutions for a Spinning Rigid Body Subject to Constant Transverse Torques,” AAS Paper 95-373, AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Conference, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, August 14-17, 1995.

47. Beck, R.A. and Longuski, J.M., “Annihilation of Transverse Velocity Bias During Spinning-Up Maneuvers,” AAS Paper 95-414, AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Conference, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, August 14-17, 1995.

48. Sims, J.A., Longuski, J.M., and Staugler, A.J., “Trajectory Options for Low-Cost Missions to Asteroids,” IAA-L-0206, Second IAA International Conference on Low-Cost Planetary Missions, Laurel, Maryland, April 16-19, 1996.

49. Tragesser, S.G. and Longuski, J.M., “The Effect of Parameter Uncertainties on the Aerobraking Tether,” AIAA Paper No. 96-3597, AIAA/AAS Astrodynamics Conference, San Diego, California, July 29-31, 1996.

50. Sims, J.A., Staugler, A.J., and Longuski, J.M., “Trajectory Options to Pluto via Gravity Assists from Venus, Mars, and Jupiter,” AIAA Paper No. 96-3614, AIAA/AAS Astrodynamics Conference, San Diego, California, July 29-31, 1996.

51. Tsiotras, P. and Longuski, J.M., “Comments on a New Parameterization of the Attitude Kinematics,” AIAA Paper No. 96-3627, AIAA/AAS Astrodynamics Conference, San Diego, California, July 29-31, 1996.

52. Kuchnicki, S.N., Tragesser, S.G., and Longuski, J.M., “Dynamics of a Tether Sling,” AAS Paper No. 97-605, AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Conference, Sun Valley, Idaho, August 4-7, 1997.

53. Tragesser, S.G. and Longuski, J.M., “Modeling Issues Concerning Motion of the Saturnian Satellites,” AAS Paper No. 97-670, AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Conference, Sun Valley, Idaho, August 4-7, 1997.

54. Beck, R.A. and Longuski, J.M., “Large Angle Solution for a Spinning Rigid Body Subject to Constant Transverse Torques,” AAS Paper No. 97-680, AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Conference, Sun Valley, Idaho, August 4-7, 1997.

55. Petropoulos, A.E., Longuski, J.M., and Bonfiglio, E.P., “Trajectories to Jupiter via Gravity Assists from Venus, Earth, and Mars,” AIAA Paper No. 98-4284, AIAA/AAS Astrodynamics Specialist Conference, Boston, Massachusetts, August 10-12, 1998.

56. Beck, R.A., Williams, M.H., and Longuski, J.M., “Floquet Solution for a Spinning Symmetric Rigid Body with Constant Transverse Torques,” AIAA Paper No. 98-4385, AIAA/AAS Astrodynamics Conference, Boston, Massachusetts, August 10-12, 1998.

57. Petropoulos, A.E., Longuski, J.M., and Vinh, N.X., “Shaped-Based Analytic Representations of Low-Thrust Trajectories for Gravity-Assist Applications,” AAS Paper No. 99 337, AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Conference, Girdwood, Alaska, August 16-19, 1999.

58. Bonfiglio, E.P., Longuski, J.M., and Vinh, N.X., “Automated Design of Aerogravity-Assist Trajectories,” AAS Paper No. 99-361, AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Conference, Girdwood, Alaska, August 16-19, 1999.

59. Javorsek II, D. and Longuski, J.M., “Velocity Pointing Errors Associated with Spinning Thrusting Spacecraft,” AAS Paper No. 99-452, AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Conference, Girdwood, Alaska, August 16-19, 1999.

60. Gick, R.A., Williams, M.H., and Longuski, J.M., “Periodic Solutions for a Spinning Asymmetric Rigid Body with Constant Principal Axis Torque,” AAS Paper No. 99-453, AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Conference, Girdwood, Alaska, August 16-19, 1999.

61. McRonald, A.D., Randolph, J.E., Lewis, M.J., Bonfiglio, E.P., Longuski, J., and Kolodziej, P., “From LEO to the Planets Using Waveriders,” AIAA Paper No. 1999-4803, AIAA International Space Planes and Hypersonic Systems and Technologies Conference, Norfolk, Virginia, November 1-5, 1999.

62. Johnson, W.R. and Longuski, J.M., “Design of Aerogravity-Assist Trajectories,” Paper No. AIAA 2000-4031, AIAA/AAS Astrodynamics Specialist Conference, August 14-17, 2000, Denver, CO.

63. Vinh, N.X., Johnson, W.R., and Longuski, J.M., “Mars Aerocapture using Bank Modulation,” Paper No. AIAA 2000-4424, AIAA/AAS Astrodynamics Specialist Conference, August 14-17, 2000, Denver, CO.

64. Okutsu, M. and Longuski, J.M., “Mars Free Returns via Gravity Assist from Venus,” Paper No. AIAA 2000-4139, AIAA/AAS Astrodynamics Specialist Conference, August 14-17, 2000, Denver, CO.

65. Strange, N.J. and Longuski, J.M., “A Graphical Method for Gravity-Assist Trajectory Design,” Paper No. AIAA 2000-4030, AIAA/AAS Astrodynamics Specialist Conference, August 14-17, 2000, Denver, CO.

66. Heaton, A.F., Strange, N.J., Longuski, J.M., and Bonfiglio, E.P., “Automated Design of the Europa Orbiter Tour,” Paper No. AIAA 2000-4034, AIAA/AAS Astrodynamics Specialist Conference, August 14-17, 2000, Denver, CO.

67. Petropoulos, A.E. and Longuski, J.M., “Automated Design of Low-Thrust Gravity-Assist Trajectories,” Paper No. AIAA 2000-4033, AIAA/AAS Astrodynamics Specialist Conference, August 14-17, 2000, Denver, CO.

68. Johnson, W.R., Longuski, J.M., and Lyons, D.T., “Attitude Control During Auton-omous Aerobraking for Near-Term Mars Exploration,” Paper AAS 01-388, AAS/ AIAA Astrodynamics Specialists Conference, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada, July 30 – August 2, 2001.

69. Okutsu, M., Debban, T.J., and Longuski, J.M., “Tour Design Strategies for the Europa Orbiter Mission,” Paper AAS 01-463, AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Specialists Conference, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada, July 30 – August 2, 2001.

70. Heaton, A.F. and Longuski, J.M., “The Feasibility of a Galileo-Style Tour of the Uranian Satellites,” Paper AAS 01-464, AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Specialists Conference, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada, July 30 – August 2, 2001.

71. Petropoulos, A.E. and Longuski, J.M., “A Shaped-Based Algorithm for the Automated Design of Low-Thrust, Gravity-Assist Trajectories,” Paper AAS 01-467, AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Specialists Conference, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada, July 30 – August 2, 2001.

72. McConaghy, T.T., Debban, T.J., Petropoulos, A.E., and Longuski, J.M., “An Approach to Design and Optimization of Low-Thrust Trajectories with Gravity-Assists,” Paper AAS 01-468, AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Specialists Conference, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada, July 30 – August 2, 2001.

73. McConaghy, T.T., Longuski, J.M., and Byrnes, D.V., “Analysis of a Broad Class of Earth-Mars Cycler Trajectories,” Paper AIAA 2002-4420, AIAA/AAS Astrodynamics Specialist Conference, Monterey, CA, August 5-8, 2002.

74. Chen, K.J., McConaghy, T.T., Okutsu, M., and Longuski, J.M., “A Low-Thrust Version of the Aldrin Cycler,” Paper AIAA 2002-4421, AIAA/AAS Astrodynamics Specialist Conference, Monterey, CA, August 5-8, 2002.

75. Chen, K.J., Landau, D.F., McConaghy, T.T., Okutsu, M., Longuski, J.M., and Aldrin, B., “Preliminary Analysis and Design of Powered Earth-Mars Cycling Trajectories,” Paper AIAA 2002-4422, AIAA/AAS Astrodynamics Specialist Conference, Monterey, CA, August 5-8, 2002.

76. Byrnes, D.V., McConaghy, T.T., and Longuski, J. M., “Analysis of Various Two Synodic Period Earth-Mars Cycler Trajectories,” Paper AIAA 2002-4423, AIAA/AAS Astrodynamics Specialist Conference, Monterey, CA, August 5-8, 2002.

77. Jokic, M.D. and Longuski, J.M., “Design of a Tether Sling for Human Transportation Systems Between Earth and Mars,” Paper AIAA 2002-4642, AIAA/AAS Astrodynamics Specialist Conference, Monterey, CA, August 5-8, 2002.

78. Jokic, M.D., Daniel, W.J.T., and Longuski, J.M., “3D Modelling of an Elastic Tether Using a Dissipative Time-Stepping Algorithm,” Paper AIAA 2002-4643, AIAA/AAS Astrodynamics Specialist Conference, Monterey, CA, August 5-8, 2002.

79. Debban, T.J., McConaghy, T.T., and Longuski, J.M., “Design and Optimization of Low-Thrust Gravity-Assist Trajectories to Selected Planets,” Paper AIAA 2002-4729, AIAA/AAS Astrodynamics Specialist Conference, Monterey, CA, August 5-8, 2002.

80. Johnson, W.R., Longuski, J.M., and Lyons, D.T., “High-Fidelity Modeling of Semi-Autonomous Attitude Control During Aerobraking,” Paper AIAA 2002-4909, AIAA/AAS Astrodynamics Specialist Conference, Monterey, CA, August 5-8, 2002.

81. Park, R.S., Scheeres, D.J., Giampieri, G., Longuski, J.M., and Fischbach, E., “Estimating General Relativity Parameters from Radiometric Tracking of Heliocentric Trajectories,” Paper AAS 03-205, AAS/AIAA Spaceflight Mechanics Meeting, Ponce, Puerto Rico, February 9-13, 2003.

82. McConaghy, T.T., Yam, C.H., Landau, D.F., and Longuski, J.M., “Two-Synodic-Period Earth-Mars Cyclers with Intermediate Earth Encounter,” Paper AAS 03-509, AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Specialist Conference, Big Sky, MT, August 3-7, 2003.

83. Chen, K.J., McConaghy, T.T., Landau, D.F., and Longuski, J.M., “A Powered Earth-Mars Cycler with Three Synodic-Period Repeat Time,” Paper AAS 03-510, AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Specialist Conference, Big Sky, MT, August 3-7, 2003.

84. Landau, D.F. and Longuski, J.M., “Comparative Assessment of Human Missions to Mars,” Paper AAS 03-513, AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Specialist Conference, Big Sky, MT, August 3-7, 2003.

85. Landau, D.F., Longuski, J.M., and Penzo, P.A., “Parking Orbits for Human Missions to Mars,” Paper AAS 03-514, AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Specialist Conference, Big Sky, MT, August 3-7, 2003.

86. Javorsek, D., II, and Longuski, J.M., “Extension of Satellite Lifetime via Precision Pointing of Orbit Transfer Maneuvers,” Paper AAS 03-515, AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Specialist Conference, Big Sky, MT, August 3-7, 2003.

87. Javorsek, D., II, and Longuski, J.M., “Effect of Thrust Profile on Velocity Pointing Errors of Spinning Spacecraft,” Paper AAS 03-516, AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Specialist Conference, Big Sky, MT, August 3-7, 2003.

88. Jokic, M. and Longuski, J.M., “Artificial Gravity and Abort Scenarios via Tethers for Human Missions to Mars,” Paper AAS 03-536, AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Specialist Conference, Big Sky, MT, August 3-7, 2003.

89. Park, R.S., Fischbach, E., Giampieri, G., Longuski, J.M., and Scheeres, D.J., “Test of General Relativity: Estimating PPN Parameters γ and β from Spacecraft Radiometric Tracking Data,” Poster Presentation and Proceedings, SPACEPART ‘03, the Second International Conference on Particle and Fundamental Physics in Space, Washington, D.C., December 10-12, 2003.

90. Landau, D.F. and Longuski, J.M., “A Reassessment of Trajectory Options for Human Missions to Mars,” Paper AIAA 2004-5095, AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Specialist Conference, Providence, RI, August 16-19, 2004.

91. McConaghy, T.T. and Longuski, J.M., “Parameterization Effects on Convergence When Optimizing a Low-Thrust-Trajectory with Gravity Assists,” Paper AIAA 2004-5403, AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Specialist Conference, Providence, RI, August 16-19, 2004.

92. Park, R.S., Scheeres, D.J., Giampieri, G., Longuski, J.M., and Fischbach, E., “Orbit Design for General Relativity Experiments: Heliocentric and Mercury-centric Cases,” Paper AIAA 2004-5394, AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Specialist Conference, Providence, RI, August 16-19, 2004.

93. Yam, C.H., McConaghy, T.T., Chen, K.J., and Longuski, J.M., “Preliminary Design of Nuclear Electric Propulsion Missions to the Outer Planets,” AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Specialist Conference, Providence, RI, August 16-19, 2004.

94. Yam, C.H., McConaghy, T.T., Chen, K.J., and Longuski, J.M., “Design of Low-Thrust Gravity-Assist Trajectories to the Outer Planets,” Paper IAC-04-A.6.02, 55th International Astronautical Congress, Vancouver, Canada, October 4-8, 2004.

95. Medlock, K.L. Gates, Longuski, J.M., and Lyons, D.T., “A Dual-Use Ballute for Entry and Descent During Planetary Missions,” 3rd International Planetary Probe Workshop, Anavyssos, Attica, Greece, June 27-July 1, 2005.

96. Ayoubi, M.A., Longuski, J.M., “Transverse Velocity Solution for a Spinning-Up Rigid Body Subject to Constant Body-Fixed Moments and Forces,” AAS Paper 05-261, AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Specialists Conference, Lake Tahoe, CA, August 7-11, 2005.

97. Landau, D.F. and Longuski, J.M., “Mars Exploration via Earth-Mars Semi-Cyclers,” AAS Paper 05-269, AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Specialists Conference, Lake Tahoe, CA, August 7-11, 2005.

98. Yam, C.H and Longuski, J.M.., “Optimization of Low-Thrust Gravity Assist Trajectories with a Reduced Parameterization of the Thrust Vector,” AAS Paper 05-375, AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Specialists Conference, Lake Tahoe, CA, August 7-11, 2005.

99. Okutsu, M., Landau, D.F., and Longuski, J.M., “Low-Thrust Roundtrip Trajectories to Mars with One-Synodic-Period Repeat Time,” AAS Paper 05-395, AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Specialists Conference, Lake Tahoe, CA, August 7-11, 2005.

100. Medlock, K.L. Gates and Longuski, J.M., “An Approach to Sizing a Dual-Use Ballute System for Aerocapture, Descent and Landing,” 4th International Planetary Probe Workshop, Pasadena, CA, June 27-30, 2006.

101. Landau, D.F. and Longuski, J.M., “Continuous Mars Habitation with a Limited Number of Cycler Vehicles,” Paper No. AIAA 2006-6020, AIAA/AAS Astrodynamics Specialist Conference, Keystone, CO, August 21-24, 2006.

102. Chen, K., Okutsu, M., Landau, D., and Longuski, J.M., “Low-Thrust Aldrin Cycler with Reduced Encounter Velocities,” Paper No. AIAA 2006-6021, AIAA/AAS Astrodynamics Specialist Conference, Keystone, CO, August 21-24, 2006.

103. Medlock, K.L. Gates, Ayoubi, M.A., Longuski, J.M., and Lyons, D.T., “Analytic Solutions for Aerocapture, Descent, and Landing Trajectories for Dual-Use Ballute Systems,” Paper No. AIAA 2006-6026, AIAA/AAS Astrodynamics Specialist Conference, Keystone, CO, August 21-24, 2006.

104. Landau, D.F. and Longuski, J.M., “Guidance Strategy for Hyperbolic Rendezvous,” Paper No. AIAA 2006-6299, AIAA/AAS Astrodynamics Specialist Conference, Keystone, CO, August 21-24, 2006.

105. Ayoubi, M.A. and Longuski, J.M., “Axial Velocity Solution for a Spinning-Up Rigid Body Subject to Constant Body-Fixed Forces and Moments,” Paper No. AIAA 2006-6655, AIAA/AAS Astrodynamics Specialist Conference, Keystone, CO, August 21-24, 2006.

106. Yam, C.H. and Longuski, J.M., “Reduced Parameterization for Optimization of Low-Thrust Gravity-Assist Trajectories: Case Studies,” Paper No. AIAA 2006-6744, AIAA/AAS Astrodynamics Specialist Conference, Keystone, CO, August 21-24, 2006.

107. Okutsu, M., Yam, C.H., and Longuski, J.M., “Low-Thrust Trajectories to Jupiter via Gravity Assists from Venus, Earth, and Mars,” Paper No. AIAA 2006-6745, AIAA/AAS Astrodynamics Specialist Conference, Keystone, CO, August 21-24, 2006.

108. Gates Medlock, K.L. and Longuski, J.M., “Aerocapture Ballutes for the Exploration of the Solar System,” Poster Presentation, 5th International Planetary Probe Workshop, Bordeaux, France, June 25-29, 2007.

109. Patterson, C., Kakoi, M., Howell, K.C., Yam, C.H., and Longuski, J.M., “500-Year Eccentric Orbits for the Cassini Spacecraft within the Saturn System,” AAS 07-256, AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Specialist Conference Mackinac Island, Michigan, Aug. 19-23, 2007.

110. Yam, C.H., Davis, D.C., Longuski, J.M., and Howell, K.C., “Saturn Impact Trajectories for Cassini End-of-Life,” AAS 07-257, AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Specialist Conference, Mackinac Island, Michigan, Aug. 19-23, 2007.

111. Okutsu, M., Yam, C.H., and Longuski, J.M., “Cassini End-of-Life Escape Trajectories to the Outer Planets,” AAS 07-258, AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Specialist Conference, Mackinac Island, Michigan, Aug. 19-23, 2007.

112. Gates Medlock, K.L., Alexeenko, A.A., and Longuski, J.M., “Trajectory and Aerothermodynamic Analysis of Towed-Ballute Aerocapture Using Direct Simulation Monte Carlo,” AAS 07-307, AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Specialist Conference, Mackinac Island, Michigan, Aug. 19-23, 2007.

113. Henning, G.A. and Longuski, J.M., “Optimization of Aerogravity-Assist Trajectories for Waveriders,” AAS 07-325, AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Specialist Conference, Mackinac Island, Michigan, Aug. 19-23, 2007.

114. Medlock, K. Gates, Alexeenko, A.A., and Longuski, J.M., “Analysis of Temperature-Constrained Ballute Aerocapture for High-Mass Mars Payloads,” 6th International Planetary Probe Workshop, Atlanta, GA, June 23-27, 2008.

115. Medlock, K.G. and Longuski, J.M., “Thermal Protection Tradeoffs for Ballute versus Aeroshell Entry and Descent at Mars,” Paper No. AIAA 2008-6428, AIAA/AAS Astrodynamics Specialist Conference and Exhibit, Honolulu, HI, August 18-21, 2008.

116. Kloster, K.W., Yam, C.H., and Longuski, J.M., “Saturn Escape Options for Cassini Encore Missions,” Paper No. AIAA 2008-6753, AIAA/AAS Astrodynamics Specialist Conference and Exhibit, Honolulu, HI, August 18-21, 2008.

117. Pollock, G.E., Gangestad, J.W., and Longuski, J.M., “Analysis of Lorentz Spacecraft Motion about Earth using the Hill-Clohessy-Wiltshire Equations,” Paper No. AIAA 2008-6762, AIAA/AAS Astrodynamics Specialist Conference and Exhibit, Honolulu, HI, August 18-21, 2008.

118. Moonjelly, P.V., Ambalavanan, M., Filmer, D.L., and Longuski, J.M., “Development of a Low-Cost, Low-Power Attitude Determination System for a Nano-Satellite,” Paper No. AIAA 2006-6933, AIAA/AAS Astrodynamics Specialist Conference and Exhibit, Honolulu, HI, August 18-21, 2008.

119. Chen, K.J., Kloster, K.W., and Longuski, J.M., “A Graphical Method for Preliminary Design of Low-Thrust Gravity-Assist Trajectories,” Paper No AIAA 2008-6952, AIAA/AAS Astrodynamics Specialist Conference and Exhibit, Honolulu, HI, August 18-21, 2008.

120. Gangestad, J.W., Pollock, G.E., and Longuski, J.M., “Dynamics of Lorentz Spacecraft with Application to a Mission to Enceladus,” Paper No. AIAA 2008-7206, AIAA/AAS Astrodynamics Specialist Conference and Exhibit, Honolulu, HI, August 18-21, 2008.

121. Link, D.A. and Longuski, J.M., “Dynamics of a Tether Sling System,” Paper No. AIAA 2008-7381, AIAA/AAS Astrodynamics Specialist Conference and Exhibit, Honolulu, HI, August 18-21, 2008.

122. Gangestad, J.W., Pollock, G.E., and Longuski, J.M., “Constraints on the Motion of Electrostatically Charged Spacecraft,” AAS Paper No. 09 – 342, AAS/AIAS Astrodynamics Specialist Conference, Pittsburgh, PA, August 9-13, 2009.

123. Kloster, K.W., Petropoulos, A.E., and Longuski, J.M., “Europa Orbiter Mission Design With Io Gravity Assists,” AAS Paper No. 09 – 353, AAS/AIAS Astrodynamics Specialist Conference, Pittsburgh, PA, August 9-13, 2009.

124. Pollock, G.E., Gangestad, J.W., and Longuski, J.M., “Charged Spacecraft Formations: A Trade Study on Coulomb and Lorentz Forces,” AAS Paper No. 09 – 389, AAS/AIAS Astrodynamics Specialist Conference, Pittsburgh, PA, August 9-13, 2009.

125. Lynam, A.E., Kloster, K.W., and Longuski, J.M., “An Assessment of Multiple Satellite-Aided Capture at Jupiter,” AAS Paper No. 09 – 424, AAS/AIAS Astrodynamics Specialist Conference, Pittsburgh, PA, August 9-13, 2009.

126. Pollock, G.E., Gangestad, J.W., and Longuski, J.M., “Lorentz Augmentation of Gravity-Assist Flybys with Electrostatically Charged Spacecraft,” AAS Paper No. 10-227, AAS/AIAA Space Flight Mechanics Meeting, February 14-17, 2010.

127. Gangestad, J.W., Pollock, G.E., and Longuski, J.M., “Lagrange’s Planetary Equations for the Motion of Electrostatically Charged Spacecraft,” AAS Paper No. 10-133, AAS/AIAA Space Flight Mechanics Meeting, February 14-17, 2010.

Senior Design Projects

Senior students perform a team-based spacecraft design, requiring application of the education and skills developed in the aerospace curriculum. The students perform a feasibility study for a specified mission goal, subject to certain constraints. AAE 450, Spacecraft Design,  culminates with a detailed written report of about thousand pages and a presentation. The entire class works as a single team to achieve this goal. They elect a Project Manager and an Assistant Project Manager and organize into specialized groups to study aerodynamics, attitude control, communications, power, human factors, propulsion, structures, thermal control and trajectory design.

At the end of the semester the students deliver a formal presentation of their results. Accompanying this report, is an an appendix, which provides detailed analyses of methods and trades studies. The quality of the work in the past design projects is consistent with the high standards of the aerospace industry. The students who participated in this study have demonstrated that they have mastered the fundamentals of astronautics, have learned to work efficiently as a team, and have discovered innovative ways to achieve the goals of this project. This version of the course was first offered by Prof. Longuski in Spring 2001. The links of the all the previous Senior Design Projects along with movies of the overview of mission are included below.

+ AAE 450 Spring 2014 Project Artemis:

Examined the feasibility of establishing three human colonies on the moon that, in a safe and timely manner, will ultimately enable a one-way-to-Mars mission.

+ AAE 450 Spring 2013 Project Prometheus:

Examined the feasibility human mission to Phobos that prepares a Martian cave for a permanent human colony on Mars

+ AAE 450 Spring 2012 Project Olympus:

Examined the feasibility of sending humans on a one-way mission to Mars!

https://engineering.purdue.edu/AAE/Academics/Courses/aae450/2012/spring

+ AAE 450 Spring 2011 Project Vision:

Examined the feasibility of sending a crew of 6 people to the dwarf planet and largest asteroid, Ceres.  The web site includes a short animation of the mission.  To see the movie go to Home and click on Movies at:

https://engineering.purdue.edu/AAE/Academics/Courses/aae450/2011/spring

+ AAE 450 Spring 2010 Project KRONOS:

Considered delivering an airship, a lake lander, and an orbiter to Saturn’s largest moon, Titan. Web site includes a 6-minute movie: click on “Project Kronos Movie.”

https://engineering.purdue.edu/AAE/Academics/Courses/aae450/2010/spring

+ AAE 450 Spring 2009 Project Xpedition:

Used the Google X PRIZE specifications to consider not only the absolute minimum cost (in dollars) for landing a very small rover on the Moon, but also the relative minimum cost (in dollars per kilogram) to determine the best bang for the buck of a moderate sized lunar rover.

https://engineering.purdue.edu/AAE/Academics/Courses/aae450/2009/spring

+ AAE 450 Spring 2008 Project Bellerophon:

Sought the most economical method to launch very small payloads (200 grams to 5 kilograms) into low-Earth orbit.
https://engineering.purdue.edu/AAE/Academics/Courses/aae450/2008/spring

+ AAE 450 Spring 2007 Project Aquarius:

Used Dr. Damon Landau’s thesis concept to use Martian water for rocket propellant.
https://engineering.purdue.edu/AAE/Academics/Courses/aae450/2007/spring

+ AAE 450 Spring 2006 Project Infinity:

Addressed the problem of sending humans Back to the Moon.

https://engineering.purdue.edu/AAE/Academics/Courses/aae450/2006/spring

+ AAE 450 Spring 2005 Project Legend:

Presented a detailed architecture for sending Humans to Mars.

https://engineering.purdue.edu/AAE/Academics/Courses/aae450/2005/spring

+ AAE 450 Spring 2004 Project HOMER:

Considered an ice-breaker mission performed prior to a human landing on Mars.

https://engineering.purdue.edu/AAE/Academics/Courses/aae450/2004spring

+ AAE 450 Spring 2003 Project MERIT:

Examined the feasibility of the Mars Cycler concept (originated by Dr. Buzz Aldrin) to construct a human transportation system between Earth and Mars.

https://engineering.purdue.edu/AAE/Academics/Courses/aae450/2003spring

+ AAE 450 Spring 2002 Project SEABASS:

Considered placing a submarine in the subsurface ocean of Europa to search for signs of extraterrestrial life.

https://engineering.purdue.edu/AAE/Academics/Courses/aae450/2002/spring

+ AAE 450 Spring 2001 Project PERFORM:

Incorporated Zubrin’s  in-situ propellant production concept along with free return using Venus, aerobraking and aerocapture, nuclear thermal rockets, artificial gravity, and zero-altitude abort for a low-cost, low-risk human mission to Mars.

https://engineering.purdue.edu/AAE/Academics/Courses/aae450/2001spring

(Note: Unfortunately Project PERFORM’s report is broken into small pieces, making it inconvenient to read.  Fortunately the other websites do not have this defect.)

Rocket Science

Rocket Science Videos: It’s Elementary!

In 2008 Professor Longuski created several video snippets in support of Professor DeLaurentisâ course AAE 251, Introduction to Aerospace Design. These short videos are taught at the college sophomore level and start from the ground up on how to launch a spacecraft into orbit. The video snippets include topics such as rocket fundamentals, multistage rockets, design of interplanetary mission, inclination change maneuvers and a few more. Explore. Learn.

Have you always wondered about how rocket works? If yes, then you may like watch the short tutorial below.

 

You can watch all the remaining videos in the AAE 251 youtube channel.

+ Greek Alphabets

Would you like to know how to write, pronounce and spell the Greek alphabets? Learn it here.
 

In The Media

Professor Longuski makes effort to make the public aware of important activities in the space program and to emphasize the role of Purdue University in Aeronautics and Astronautics. Stories of research work of Prof. Longuski and his students have appeared in various media platforms such as BBC, MSNBC, Spaceflight Now, The Guardian etc. Some select activities of Prof. Longuski in different media forms are highlighted here.

Purdue professor goes back to class to put Einstein to the test. Purdue News Service.

Slingshot test for general relativity. www.physicsworld.com

Water-powered spaceship could make Mars trip on the cheap  MSNBC.

Buzz Aldrin, Purdue engineers plan Mars hotel Spaceflight Now.

Possibility of water on Mars spurs talk of a manned visit  The Christian Science Monitor.

Space hotels could run ferry service to Mars  The Guardian., U.K.

Manned flight to Mars in 2014?  The British Broadcasting Corporation.

Professor Longuski and Purdue alumnus Neil Armstrong chat at the Awards Banquet in the Purdue Memorial Building on October 21, 1999 when Armstrong received his Outstanding Aerospace Engineer Award from the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

Professor Longuski makes effort to make the public aware of important activities in the space program and to emphasize the role of Purdue University in Aeronautics and Astronautics. Stories of research work of Prof. Longuski and his students have appeared in various media platforms such as BBC, MSNBC, Spaceflight Now, The Guardian etc. Some select activities of Prof. Longuski in different media forms are highlighted here.

Purdue professor goes back to class to put Einstein to the test.  Purdue News Service.

Slingshot test for general relativity. www.physicsworld.com

Water-powered spaceship could make Mars trip on the cheap  MSNBC.

Buzz Aldrin, Purdue engineers plan Mars hotel Spaceflight Now.

Possibility of water on Mars spurs talk of a manned visit The Christian Science Monitor.

Space hotels could run ferry service to Mars  The Guardian., U.K.

Manned flight to Mars in 2014? The British Broadcasting Corporation.

Professor Longuski and Purdue alumnus Neil Armstrong chat at the Awards Banquet in the Purdue Memorial Building on October 21, 1999 when Armstrong received his Outstanding Aerospace Engineer Award from the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

You can download a comprehensive list of outreach activities

You can download a comprehensive list of outreach activities

 

Books

+ The Seven Secrets of How to Think Like a Rocket Scientist

 

This book translates thinking like a rocket scientist into every day thinking so it can be used by anyone. It is short and snappy and written by a rocket scientist. The book illustrates the methods (the 7 secrets) with anecdotes, quotations and biographical sketches of famous scientists, personal stories and insights, and occasionally some space history. The author reveals that rocket science is just common sense applied to the extraordinarily uncommon environment of outer space and that rocket scientists are people, too. It is intended for armchair scientists, and for those interested in popular psychology, space history, and science fiction films.

The book was published by Springer, New York, NY in 2007. You can see the table of contents here, read reviews for the book and download a sample chapter for reading. See Amazon and Barnes & Noble in addition to Springer to own this book.

Think Like a Rocket Scientist!  Purdue Engineering Impact Magazine.

Rocket Science For Dummies.  www.spacedaily.com

Prof. Jim Longuski with Dr. Masa Okutsu at the book signing day in the local Barnes & Noble store.

+ Advice to Rocket Scientists: A Career Survival Guide for Scientists and Engineers


As a long-time NASA engineer and astronautics professor, Jim Longuski watched first hand as gifted rocket scientists and students learned their way around the lab only to lose their way in the board room.

Longuski decided to write what he calls a survival guide for rocket scientists. In this small book, Longuski uses humor and personal anecdotes to give engineers and scientists an edge in an industry in which one gets ahead as much on interpersonal-skills as on technical merits.

If you are a rocket scientist, or want to become a rocket scientist, or know and care about a rocket scientist then this book is for you, Longuski explains in his introduction.

The book is especially valuable for those who are attempting career transitions, whether from student to aerospace worker or from aerospace worker to university researcher or teacher. Longuski explains how the work place is different from the academic environment. He gives readers real-world advice about how to find jobs, negotiate offers, and keep bosses happy. He implores students to have confidence and speak directly with potential employers rather than simply mailing in resumes and hoping for the best.

He tells readers how to produce technical reports and give presentations that will keep colleagues interested. In a chapter called What if the Rocket Doesn’t Work? he helps engineers cope with failure. Longuski presents a reality that too many scientists and engineers ignore: Getting ahead and staying happy involves mastering inter-office politics.

The book was published by American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc.(AIAA), Restin, Virginia,  in 2004. You can see the table of contents here, read reviews for the book and download a sample chapter for reading. See Amazon and Barnes & Noble in addition to AIAA to own this book.

Advice to Rocket Scientists: A Career Survival Guide for Scientists and Engineers.  www.goodreads.com

Advice to Rocket Scientists. School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Purdue University

Spacecraft Engineering and Mission Design – Syllabus

AAE 590: Spacecraft Engineering and Conceptual Mission Design I
Also appears as “Spacecraft Engineering Mission Design”

Tentative Course Outline and Other Details

Spring 2016
Time:  M W F 4:30-5:20 | ARMS 1021
Instructor: Prof.  Sarag  Saikia
Contact: sarag@purdue.edu

Credits: 3
Office Hours: TBD

Open to: Open to graduate students (MS. Ph.D.) in the College of Engineering, and College of Science at Purdue University, upper division undergraduates (seniors), or have permission of the instructor.

Assessment: Weekly homework and reading assignment, and a final project. No exams.

Pre-requisite: Knowledge of differential calculus, analytical reasoning, and critical thinking. Computer programming in Matlab and Microsoft Excel. Knowledge of Model-Based Systems Engineering Tool like MagicDraw will be a bonus, but not required. Passionate about space exploration, unparalleled curiosity, and a knack to learn!

Co-requisite: None

Tentative Course Outline:

1. The Solar System: The Fundamental Unanswered Science Questions
2. Mission Types: NASA, ESA, Other Countries (Japan, China, India etc.)
3. Space Environment (including Extreme Environments) and Its Effects on Space Systems
4. Space Mission Design Process
5. Overview of Trajectory Design
6. Spacecraft Subsystems

  • Power Systems
  • Telemetry, Tracking, and Command
  • Thermal Control Systems and Analysis
  • Attitude Determination and Control
  • Structures and Mechanisms
  • Command and Data Handling
  • Guidance and Navigation
  • Communications

7. Launch Vehicles and Upper Stages
8. Space Propulsion Systems
9. Design of Planetary Probes
10. Science Instruments: Orbiter, Probes
11. Cost Analysis, Risk and Programmatics
12. Space Systems Failures
13. Planetary Data System: data analysis from missions
14. Conceptual Space Mission Design
15. Science Traceability Matrix and Descoping
16. Concurrent Engineering (Model-Based Systems Engineering)

Required Texts: None. Class notes, technical reports, and refereed papers will be provided by the instructor. (It will be useful to have at least one text in hand – the first of the recommended texts by Griffin and French.)

Guest Lectures: NASA Jet Propulsion Lab’s Team X members, NASA mission team members, and AAE faculty members.

Recommended Texts

  1. Space Vehicle Design, Second Edition (AIAA Education) by Michael D. Griffin, James R. French
  2. Elements of Spacecraft Design (AIAA Education) by Charles D. Brown
  3. Spacecraft Systems Engineering 3rd Edition by Peter Fortescue (Editor), John Stark (Editor), Graham Swinerd (Editor)
  4. Space Mission Engineering: The New SMAD (Space Technology Library, Vol. 28) Edited by James R. Wertz, David F. Everett, and Jeffrey J. Puschell
  5. Basics of Spaceflight, Dave Doody, Jet Propulsion Laboratory
  6. The Space Environment and Its Effects on Space Systems (AIAA Education Series) by Vincent L. Piscane
  7. Space Modeling and Simulation: Roles and Applications Throughout The System Life Cycle by Larry B. Rainey
  8. The Space Environment: Implications for Spacecraft Design by Alan C. Tribble

Student Learning Outcomes:

On completing this course the student will be able to:

1. Understand the outstanding questions in planetary science
2. Understand different space mission types of NASA, ESA, and other space agencies
3. Understand the NASA JPL’s mission design process
4. Design various spacecraft subsystems and understand their interconnectedness
5. Perform preliminary design of planetary entry probes
6. Perform cost, risk, and programmatics analysis of complex space missions
7. Understand concurrent engineering as applied to conceptual space mission design

Frank E. Laipert

Frank Laipert graduated with a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from Iowa State University in the Spring of 2009 and began his graduate studies at Purdue the following Fall in the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Frank’s research interests are in the design and optimization of low-thrust interplanetary trajectories as well as high-level mission concept design. He is looking at very large scale missions for human exploration beyond Earth orbit. At Purdue, he has worked as a Teaching Assistant in the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics for classes ranging from the introductory to the graduate level; and in the Department of Mathematics. (In the picture: Frank shaking hands with Apollo Astronaut Buzz Aldrin.)

Nathan J. Strange

Nathan Strange is a Ph.D. student specializing in Astrodynamics and Space Applications and holds a M.S. in Aeronautics & Astronautics from Purdue (2000) as well as two B.S. degrees in Aeronautics & Astronautics and in Physics also from Purdue (1997). He has worked at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) since 2000, where he is currently a systems engineer for mission formulation in the Mission Concepts Section. Prior to his work in mission formulation, he was one of the tour designers for the Cassini-Huygens mission to Saturn. Nathan has received two NASA Exceptional Achievement Medals (in 2008 and 2011) for his work on gravity-assist tour design and has also received the 2010 JPL Lew Allen Award for Excellence, JPL’s highest honor given to scientists and technologist who make significant contributions in the early years of their career.

Kaela Martin

Kaela Martin (previously Rasmussen) graduated with a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering and a B.S. in Mathematics from Iowa State University in 2010. She began her Master of Science in the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Purdue University the following fall and received her degree in the fall of 2011. She is currently a Ph.D. student at Purdue with research interests in spacecraft dynamics and control. Kaela is a NSF graduate fellow.

James W. Moore

James Moore holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Houston, an M.S. in Physics from the University of Houston, Clear Lake, and an M.S.E. in Aeronautics and Astronautics from Purdue. He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. at Purdue with a specialization in Astrodynamics and Space Applications. Jim is a full-time practicing engineer with Jacobs Technology at the NASA Johnson Space Center. His professional experience includes ten years as a Space Shuttle flight controller and entry trajectory designer. He is currently working on the parachute systems that will be used on NASA’s next human spacecraft.

Michael J. Mueterthies

Michael Mueterthies, from Lawler, Iowa, completed his Bachelor’s Degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics Engineering at Purdue in May 2010 and began his graduate studies in August 2010. He will complete his Master’s Degree in Astrodynamics with a minor in Dynamics and Control in May 2012. Michael is continuing his research in the group and has started his Ph.D. in the Department of Physics, Purdue University from 2012. His research interests include design and analysis of tether slings.

Peter J. Edelman

Mr. Peter Edelman is a second-year graduate student working towards his Ph.D. at Purdue University, majoring in the area of Astrodynamics and Space Applications, with a minor in Dynamics and Control. Peter received his Bachelor’s of Science in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering (B.S.A.A.E.) from Purdue University in May of 2010. He is a Teaching Assistant in the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

Blake A. Rogers

Blake Rogers earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering and Mathematics from the University of Tennessee in August of 2009. Upon graduation he continued his education at Purdue University where he received his Master of Science in Aeronautics and Astronautics degree in May of 2011. He has been teaching Algebra and Calculus courses in the Purdue University Department of Mathematics since August 2009.

Blake is currently a Ph.D. student at Purdue in the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics. His research interests include trajectory design and optimization for cycling spacecraft. Cycling spacecraft trajectories use gravitational assists to perpetually encounter two or more bodies using relatively small amounts of propellant. These types of trajectories are useful when large masses need to be transported between the bodies, such as, for example, multiple human Mars missions.

Kyle M. Hughes

Kyle Hughes earned his Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering from the University of Washington, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude in 2008. He earned his Master of Science in Aeronautics and Astronautics from the University of Washington in 2010, where he also worked as a Teaching Assistant in the Aeronautics and Astronautics Department throughout his M.S. studies. In the following fall, Kyle began his Ph.D. graduate studies in astrodynamics at Purdue University. He has also been working as an instructor for the Department of Mathematics at Purdue since 2010, where he teaches algebra, trigonometry, and calculus.

Kyle’s research interests include interplanetary trajectory design and optimization for both ballistic and low-thrust trajectories. Recent work has focused on the design of multiple gravity-assist trajectories to Uranus and Neptune, to develop a catalog of opportunities to the ice giants for future science missions. Kyle also worked on trajectory design for the Inspiration Mars mission, to find opportunities for a Mars flyby mission other than the nominal Mars free-return in 2018. Kyle’s work found such an opportunity in 2021 that incorporates a Venus flyby on route to Mars, and was proposed at the US House of Representatives Committee on Science, Space, and Technology in February 27, 2014, as the first human-crew, deep-space mission for Orion-SLS. Kyle has also worked on the design of Earth-Mars cycler trajectories, in collaboration with Apollo astronaut Dr. Buzz Aldrin, as part of a mission architecture to establish a long-term human presence on Mars.

CONFERENCE PAPERS

Rogers, B.A., Hughes, K.M., Longuski, J.M., and Aldrin, B., “Preliminary Analysis of Establishing Cycler Trajectories Between Earth and Mars via V∞ Leveraging,” AIAA/AAS Astrodynamics Specialist Conference, Minneapolis, Minnesota, August 2012, AIAA 2012-4746.

Hughes, K.M., Moore J.W., and Longuski, J.M., “Preliminary Analysis of Ballistic Trajectories to Neptune via Gravity Assists from Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus,” AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Specialist Conference, Hilton Head, South Carolina, Aug. 11 – 15, 2013, AAS 13-805.

Hughes, K.M., Edelman, P.J., Longuski, J.M., Loucks, M.E., Carrico, J.P., and Tito, D.A., “Fast Mars Free-Returns via Venus Gravity Assist,” AIAA/AAS Astrodynamics Specialist Conference, San Diego, CA, August 4 – 7, 2014, AIAA 2014-4109.

Edelman, P.J., Hughes, K.M., Longuski, J.M., Carrico, J.P., Loucks, M.E., and Tito, D.A., “Inspiration Mars 2018 Free-Return Opportunity,” AIAA/AAS Astrodynamics Specialist Conference, San Diego, CA, August 4 – 7, 2014, AIAA 2014-4128.

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Rogers, B.A., Hughes, K.M., Longuski, J.M., and Aldrin, B., “Establishing Cycler Trajectories Between Earth and Mars,” Acta Astronautica, 2015, DOI: 10.1016/j.actaastro.2015.03.002.

Hughes, K.M., Edelman, P.J., Saikia, S.J., Longuski, J.M., Loucks, M.E., Carrico, J.P., and Tito, D.A., “Fast Free Returns to Mars and Venus with Applications to Inspiration Mars,” Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, Submitted in March 2015. (In Review)

MANUSCRIPTS IN PREPARATION

Hughes, K.M., Moore, J.W., and Longuski, J.M., “Catalog of Multiple-Gravity-Assist, Ballistic Trajectories to Neptune.” To be submitted to the Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets in August of 2015.

Hughes, K.M., Spreen, C.M., Moore, J.W., Mueterthies, M.J., Kloster, K.W., and Longuski, J.M., “Catalog of Multiple-Gravity-Assist, Ballistic Trajectories to Uranus.” To be submitted to the Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets in December of 2015.

Dr. Sarag J. Saikia

Dr. Sarag Saikia research interest and experience lie in the general area of space mission concept formulation, spacecraft aerocapture, entry, descent and landing; design of planetary probes and instrument concepts; advanced spacecraft concepts (e.g. mobility technologies for extreme environments such as those on Solar System’s ocean worlds, Europa, Enceladus, and Titan); early mission concept formulation; and human exploration mission architecture design to the Moon and Mars leading to permanence. Working closely with JPL, Dr. Saikia developed concurrent engineering capabilities to develop early mission concept studies at Purdue University.

After graduating with a Ph.D. in Astronautical Engineering from the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics at Purdue University in August 2015, Sarag Saikia joined his alma mater as a visiting assistant professor. Prof. Saikia holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering with distinction from Nagpur University, India, and a master’s degree in Astronautics from Purdue. Sarag briefly worked in the iron/steel industry followed by policy research in the energy and power sector of India.

For his Ph.D., Dr. Saikia worked with Prof. Jim Longuski (a JPL veteran) on analytical theories for spacecraft aerocapture, entry, descent, and landing; and advanced EDL concepts. His Ph.D. dissertation is titled, Analytical Theories for Spacecraft Entry Into Planetary Atmospheres and Design of Planetary Probes. His major advisor was Professor James Longuski with co-advisor, Professor Michael Grant. For his work, he has won the best paper awards for two consecutive years (2013 and 2014) at the International Planetary Probe Workshop (IPPW). Dr. Saikia works closely with NASA Centers, Industry, NASA’s VEXAG and OPAG communities.

Dr. Saikia served as the lead mission design advisor for Spring 2015 Project Aldrin-Purdue, “Cycling pathway to establish a permanent human presence on Mars.” Dr. Saikia continues to work very closely with Dr. Aldrin.

(Image: Dr. Saikia with Apollo astronaut and second man to land on Moon, Dr. Buzz Aldrin.)

Email: sarag@purdue.edu

Spacecraft Engineering and Mission Design

New Course
AAE 590: Spacecraft Engineering and Conceptual Mission Design I

Also appears as “Spacecraft Engineering Mission Design”

Spring 2016
Time:  M W F 4:30-5:20 | ARMS 1021
Instructor: Prof.  Sarag  Saikia
Contact: sarag@purdue.edu

We are currently amidst one of the most exciting times in the history of exploration. The NASA “Journey to Mars” plan for human exploration of Mars; discovery of liquid water on Mars; a mission to explore Solar System icy moons (with subsurface liquid ocean with a tantalizing possibility of a second genesis of life beyond Earth); the great hydrocarbon lakes on Saturn’s moon, Titan; and prospects for a mission to the ice giant planets, Uranus and Neptune—are some of the highlights.

Why do we explore the Solar System? What are the most fascinating frontiers of space exploration? Can we detect life beyond Earth? What it takes to design a complex space planetary exploration mission, for e.g. by NASA? The course will touch these topics.

The course—Spacecraft Engineering and Conceptual Mission Design—is a “new transformative approach” to teach spacecraft engineering using innovative teaching, learning, and assessment methods by bringing in real-world experience into classroom. After all, it is here, where science, engineering, politics, money, and risk often clash.

What is the course about?

Complex mission concepts will be needed for future ambitious robotic space missions, which in turn, will require new spacecraft, new approaches, and technologies. The goal of this unique course is to prepare engineering and science students with the tools, methods, and approaches of spacecraft engineering, and systems thinking required in the design of next generation planetary exploration missions as done by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHUAPL).

Students in the course will first learn about the profound unanswered questions related to planetary science. Students will also acquire knowledge of space environments (including “extreme environments”) and their effects on the design of space systems. Students will learn the NASA’s space mission life cycle, mission types; and will be able to design different spacecraft subsystems (power, thermal, structures, instruments etc.), communications, cost analysis, risk and programmatics. Students will eventually learn about concurrent engineering and demonstrate the interconnectedness of different mission elements and how they are affected by science objectives, and constraints in cost and risk.  Students will also get the opportunity to analyze data from real missions and learn interpret the data to answer key science questions.

Students will work closely with scientists and engineers of JPL (JPL Advanced Projects Team – Team X), other NASA Centers, as well as from the JHUAPL.  Guest lectures will be organized, and there will be in-class display/demonstration of select spacecraft and instruments hardware .

The course is the first part of a two-semester course series, with the second part being offered in Maymester 2016. The course is highly interdisciplinary in nature and students from both the science and engineering with interests in conceptual space mission development are strongly encouraged to enroll.

Open to graduate students (MS. Ph.D.),  upper division undergraduates (seniors), or have permission of  the instructor.

You can see the tentative course outline on this page.

Conceptual Space Mission Design

AAE 590: Conceptual Space Mission Design

New Course
Maymester 2016

Time:  TBD
Instructor: Prof.  Sarag  Saikia
Contact: sarag@purdue.edu

The goal of this course is to prepare the next generation of engineering and science students to participate in the conceptual design of a robotic planetary exploration mission in response to NASA’s mission call of opportunity.

Students will use the knowledge gained in the Spring 2016 course, “Spacecraft Engineering and Conceptual Mission Design I,” and learn-by-working in the development of a robotic planetary exploration mission concept through concurrent engineering.  Students select the mission and science goals based on high-priority scientific objectives as highlighted in the National Research Council’s 2013 Planetary Science Decadal Survey. Based on the high priority science objectives, the students develop the science traceability matrix and a suite of instrumentation to answer the science goals. Each student will be allowed to have both science and engineering roles in the mission design process.

The course will be an intensive (~3 weeks) team exercise in the Summer Module 1 (Maymester) 2016, where students will perform a conceptual planetary science mission design to emulate how JPL’s Advanced Projects Team (Team X) performs mission design. Students participate in a series of “intensive” concurrent design sessions in an “active learning” environment, where the mission design and instrument suite are finalized. Students thereby learn the interconnectedness of mission elements, perform the necessary trade-offs to stay within the cost cap.

Students will be mentored by the instructor; and scientists and engineers of NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, other NASA centers, and the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHUAPL).

At the completion of the design exercise, students will be given the opportunity to present their mission concept study to a Proposal Review Board comprised of NASA/JPL scientists and engineers. As a requirement, students write a conference paper and present their results at an international conference (e.g. International Planetary Probe Workshop) or a NASA meeting.

(more…)

Ice Giants Studies

Human Journey to Mars

“Since, in the long run, every planetary civilization will be endangered by impacts from space, every surviving civilization is obliged to become spacefaring–not because of exploratory or romantic zeal, but for the most practical reason imaginable: staying alive… If our long-term survival is at stake, we have a basic responsibility to our species to venture to other worlds.” ― Carl Sagan, Pale Blue Dot, 1994

“I don’t think the human race will survive the next thousand years, unless we spread into space. There are too many accidents that can befall life on a single planet. But I’m an optimist. We will reach out to the stars.” ― Stephen Hawking, interview with Daily Telegraph, 2001

Work We Do

Oceanus – A Multi-Spacecraft Multi-Planet Mission Concept

An experimental graduate design course, “Conceptual Space Mission Design” was offered at Purdue University in May–June 2016 as a two weeks’ intensive team exercise, where students performed a rapid conceptual planetary science mission design. Students participated in a series of “intensive” concurrent design sessions in an “active learning” environment, where the mission design and instrument suite were finalized. Students thereby learnt the interconnectedness of mission elements, performed the necessary tradeoffs to stay within the cost cap. The students developed all the necessary tools to conduct the mission concept study.

In August 2015 at the NASA Outer Planets Assessment Meeting, Dr. James Green, the Director of the Planetary Science Division in the NASA’s Science Mission Directorate announced the plan to conduct NASA’s Ice Giants Mission Studies. JPL is currently leading the Ice Giant Mission Studies work. In support of the NASA’s plan, the students were inspired to conduct an early mission concept study to explore the ice giant planets within the cost cap of NASA’s Flagship missions.

In May 2015, a unique Saturn-Uranus trajectory option was discovered at Purdue University, led by Kyles Hughes, Sarag Saikia, James Longuski working with NASA Ames Research Center, which enables exceptional multi-spacecraft-multi-probe mission opportunities. The students in the course used the exclusive trajectory to develop the mission concept. Such a mission opportunity enables delivery of an atmospheric probe into Saturn’s atmosphere for the first time and, at the same time, deliver an orbiter and an entry probe to Uranus. The result of the study is “OCEANUS: A Multi-Spacecraft Flagship Mission Concept to Explore Uranus and Saturn.”

The mission concept study was presented to a panel of scientists and engineers at the NASA Jet Propulsion Lab, NASA Centers, and Industry. The feedback provided by the panel were very helpful in the preparation of the final report. We thank our colleagues at JPL: Charles Budney, James Cutts, Kim Reh, Young Lee, John Elliott, Anastassios Petropoulos, Nitin Arora, and Jon Sims for valuable insight and support during the study. Finally, we will be glad if the Oceanus mission concept study provides some insight in the design of mission concepts to explore the ice giant planets.

The final report from the study is linked here.

News and Updates

NEWS AND UPDATES

+ Dr. Buzz Aldrin visits Purdue University on April 23, 2015 for the final presentation of Project Aldrin-Purdue: As the part of Prof. James Longuski’s AAE 450 Spacecraft Design course, School of Aeronautics and Astronautics’ senior students evaluated the feasibility Dr. Buzz Aldrin’s Unified Space Vision “To establish and sustain a permanent human presence on Mars by 2040.” The study, named “Project Aldrin-Purdue” involved 51 students working in different discipline groups. Dr. Buzz Aldrin visited Purdue again on April 23 for the final presentation. Dr. Aldrin interacted with the president of Purdue University, Mitch Daniels; and faculty members of the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AAE), Prof. Tom Shih (head of AAE), Prof. Longuski, Prof. Dumbacher, and Prof. Longuski’s research students; Sarag Saikia, and Kyle Hughes on long-term collaboration to work on strategies for the colonization of Mars.

The video representing Dr. Buzz Aldrin’s unified space vision “To establish and sustain a permanent human presence on Mars by 2040,” can be watched below:

R to L: Sarag Saikia, Prof. James Longuski, Mr. William Gerstenmaier, Peter Edelman, Frank Laipert, and Kyle Hughes, The photograph is taken in the atrium of the Neil A. Armstrong Hall of Engineering where the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics is located.

+ NASA Associate Administrator of the Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate (HEOMD), Mr. William Gerstenmaier visited Purdue University on February 23 and 24, 2015. Purdue University’s President Mitch Daniels held an open forum with Mr. Gerstenmaier and they talked about “Pathways to Space Exploration.” The forum was to continue the discussion on the 2014 National Research Council’s (NRC) Committee on Human Spaceflight report on the subject co-chaired by President Daniels.

Mr. Gerstenmaier also met with Professor Jim Longuski’s Advanced Astrodynamics Concepts research group members and held discussions on ongoing research as well as on the future of human spaceflight. Mr. Gerstenmaier is a distinguished alum of the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics and he has been visiting the school on a regular basis.

AAE 450 Project Aldrin-Purdue’s Project Manager, Stephen Whitnah and Assistant Project Manager, Jani Dominguez, updated Mr. Gerstenmaier about the progress. Mr. Gerstenmaier has had been advising the Purdue team since inception.

L to R: Peter Edelman, Sarag Saikia, Prof. James Longuski, Dr. Buzz Aldrin, Kyle Hughes, Andrew Aldrin, baby Logan, and Christina Korp. The photograph is taken in the atrium of the Neil A. Armstrong Hall of Engineering where the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics at Purdue University is located.

+ As a part of ongoing collaborations, Gemini and Apollo astronaut, Dr. Buzz Aldrin visited Purdue University from January 14–16, 2015 to interact with Prof. Longuski’s Advanced Astrodynamics Concepts research group and the students in the senior design course in the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Named as “Project Aldrin-Purdue,” students in the course, under guidance, are evaluating Dr. Aldrin’s plan to establish permanent human presence on Mars by 2040. Prof. Longuski’s Advanced  Astrodynamics Concepts group is honored to have Dr. Aldrin on campus. Dr. Aldrin will visit again in April 2015.

Ms. Michelle Munk, currently the principal investigator for Entry, Descent and Landing (EDL) Technologies within NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate will be visiting Purdue University from November 19–20, 2014. Michelle will also interact with Prof. Longuski and the research group.
Ms. Munk will deliver a distinguished seminar titled, “From the Beach to Mars: One Engineer’s Journey,” at 5:30 p.m. in Armstrong Hall, Room B061. The seminar is free and open to the public.

Purdue news story on Michelle’s visit.

L to R: Prof. James Longuski, Peter Edelman, Kaela Martin, Dr. Buzz Aldrin, Dr. Blake Rogers, Kyle Hughes, and Sarag Saikia. On the backdrop is the Neil A. Armstrong statue infront of the Neil Armstrong Hall of Engineering where the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics at Purdue University is located.

+ Apollo astronaut, Dr. Buzz Aldrin, the second person to set foot on the Moon visited the Advanced Astrodynamics Concepts research group from October 30–31, 2014. The research group and Dr. Aldrin held numerous intense and  stimulating discussions on ideas of long-term and sustainable human exploration of Mars. Dr. Aldrin has been a long collaborator with Prof. James Longuski. This was Dr. Aldrin’s second visit to interact with the research group in the last one year.

+ Dr. Ralph D. Lorenz, Senior Professional Staff at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, MD, visited Purdue University from April 14 to April 15, 2014. Dr. Lorenz interacted with the research group on both the days. Dr. Lorenz delivered two interesting talks on Huygens Probe as well as on Saturn’s moon Titan.

+ Apollo astronaut, Dr. Buzz Aldrin, the second person to walk on the Moon with the late Neil Armstrong, visited Purdue University on October 16, 2013. Buzz interacted exclusively with the research group during the day. Buzz also discussed about his new book, “Mission to Mars: My Vision for Space Exploration.” He delivered a presentation, “Buzz Aldrin’s Unified Space Vision,” at 7 p.m. in the Purdue Memorial Union South Ballroom.

+ Professor James M. Longuski’s new book titled, “Optimal Control with Aerospace applications,” has been published. The co-authors of the book are Jose J. Guzman (Ph.D., now with Orbital Sciences) and John E. Prussing (Professor, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign). The book is largely based out of the course (Optimization in Aerospace Engineering) Professor Longuski teaches at Purdue University. The book is published by Springer and the details of the book can be seen here.

Oceanus Spacecraft

The Oceanus spacecraft is comprised of an orbiter vehicle and two atmospheric entry probes. The first entry probe is delivered into the atmosphere of Saturn as the spacecraft performs a gravity assist on its way to Uranus. The second entry probe is delivered into the atmosphere of Uranus prior the orbiter capturing into orbit using the impulsive burn of one of its two liquid rocket engines. In order to receive data from the probes and transmit data back to Earth, a 4-meter diameter high gain antenna (HGA) serves as the primary method of communication. The orbiter is powered by a set of 5 enhanced multi-mission radioisotope thermo-electric generators that are designed to sustain the orbiter for up to 3 years after arriving at Uranus.

The Oceanus orbiter with its two atmospheric probes. A high gain antenna (HGA) is the main method of communication and a pair of liquid rocket engines provide propulsion.

Oceanus spacecraft with magnetometer (MAG), supra-thermal particle imager (SPI), and plasma waves analyzer (PWA) instruments deployed.

Mounted on the orbiter is a set of 9 science instruments. The suite includes cameras, optical spectrometers, particle sensors, radio antennas, a magnetometer, and even a dust impact detector. The orbiter’s high gain antenna can also be used for science experiments, particularly radio occultations of Uranus’ rings and atmosphere. Instruments are based on successful heritage experiments from previous missions. The spacecraft itself is 3-axis stabilized and is budgeted with additional propellant to allow for targeting satellite flybys.

Oceanus’ atmospheric entry probes contain a payload of 5 atmospheric experiments for measuring the conditions of the shallow atmosphere on Saturn and Uranus. The experiments are contained inside of a pressure vessel that is itself shielded from the extreme heat of atmospheric entry by an aeroshell. The aeroshell is coated in a thermal protection system (TPS) made from an advanced 3D carbon weave. The Saturn and Uranus probes are nearly identical except for slightly different aeroshell sizes, which are optimized for atmospheric entry at their respective destinations.

Exploded view of the atmospheric probes structure.

Mission Overview

The Oceanus interplanetary trajectory

The Oceanus mission concept is designed to be launched in mid 2028 using the new Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. The launch places the spacecraft on a ballistic interplanetary trajectory towards Saturn. As the spacecraft approaches its encounter with Saturn, it detaches the first of its two atmospheric entry probes. The interplanetary trajectory is designed such that the probe enters Saturn’s atmosphere within a very narrow range of survivable entry conditions. Even within this survivable entry corridor, the probe must withstand a peak heat rate of 7000 W/cm^2. In order to avoid entering Saturn’s atmosphere itself, the orbiter performs a deflection maneuver to send it on a path to Uranus using a gravity assist from Saturn.

Entry probe sequence of events for atmospheric entry and descent at Saturn

Oceanus arrives at Uranus in early 2040 after delivering its second entry probe into the atmosphere of the planet. To capture into orbit around Uranus, Oceanus must fire its rocket engine and burn over 1000 kg of propellant. The capture burn is performed in full view of Earth. Once captured, Oceanus remains in an elliptical 20-day science orbit for up to 3 years during which it can perform a multitude of detailed investigations about the ice giant.

Entry probe sequence of events for atmospheric entry and descent at Uranus

 

Ice Giant Science

Ice giants are a distinct type of planet that may be common beyond our own Solar System. Their relatively mixed combination of both light and heavy elements sets them apart from terrestrial planets (mostly heavy rock) and gas giants (mostly hydrogen and helium). The heavy elements in the ice giants are believed to be inherited from icy materials in the early Solar System, such as water, ammonia, and methane. Studying the structure and evolution of ice giant planets can therefore provide a unique window into the conditions of the early Solar System and can shed light on the general processes of planetary formation.

Size categories of confirmed extrasolar planets measured in Earth radii. Planets approximately the same radius of Uranus make up the most populous category.

Our Solar System contains two ice giants, Uranus and Neptune, which were briefly explored by the Voyager 2 flybys in 1986 and 1989, respectively. Since then, studies of the ice giants have been limited to ground and space-based telescopes. A New Frontiers or Flagship-class mission to one of the ice giants could dramatically enhance our understanding of these planets by providing a means to study their interiors, atmospheres, magnetospheres, rings, and satellites with unprecedented detail and obtain measurements that are otherwise inaccessible from Earth. Such observations could be expected to yield new insights into the formation of the Solar System and the role that giant planets play in creating a habitable environment for Earth and potentially other Earth-like planets.

Gas Giants Too

Though the Solar System’s gas giants, Jupiter and Saturn, have enjoyed intensive exploration from dedicated spacecraft such as Galileo and Cassini, many questions remain about their origin and evolution. Atmospheric entry probes can provide crucial observations of giant planet atmospheres that are unable to be obtained from orbiting spacecraft. The Galileo mission deployed one such entry probe into Jupiter’s atmosphere and there is much interest in delivering a similar probe to Saturn. Studying the gas giants alongside the ice giants provides an important comparison of two very different types of giant planets.

Who We Are

Home

Human Mars Ex

AAC concentrates on spacecraft and mission design concepts that may advance both robotic and human exploration of the solar system in the next decades. AAC is led by Professor James M. Longuski and Professor Sarag Saikia in the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics at Purdue University. AAC works closely with NASA H.Q., several NASA Centers, and industry partners on a variety of funded projects.

Curiosity-led exploration has fundamentally changed the progression of human society. The desire for exploration has led to a point where we are potentially on the cusp of becoming a multi-planetary species as well as marching ahead to understand our origins via robotic missions. AAC is making small contributions to these grandest and most inspiring endeavors of humankind.

We are working on the design of tools and software for the end-to-end design of human Mars exploration architectures. We have designed and discovered new and efficient ways for humans to go to Mars. We work with Apollo Astronaut, Dr. Buzz Aldrin on his innovative ideas to explore the Moon and establish a permanent human presence on Mars. We are now partnering with NASA and industry to work on new architectures to explore the Moon and Mars in the next few decades.

Some of our projects in support of robotic planetary exploration include design of multi-planet multi-probe missions; design of aerocapture rapid mission design tool; design of advanced mobility concepts for the exploration of Solar System’s ocean worlds, like Europa, Enceladus, and Titan; innovative and low-cost planetary exploration missions using small spacecraft; design of tools for rapid conceptual planetary science mission via concurrent engineering; mission concept formulation for the exploration of the ice-giant planets, Uranus and Neptune that includes trajectory design; moon tours; entry probe design, and their interactions with science objectives.

Our alumni are pioneers and disruptors. One was instrumental in starting the small satellite revolution. Some are renowned professors, and others work at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory and other NASA Centers, The Aerospace Corporation, the European Space Agency, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, and more—designing concepts, technologies, and missions to explore the solar system. Our folks have worked on most of the outer planets flagship missions including the Galileo mission to Jupiter and the Cassini-Huygens mission to Saturn. Now, a few are working on the NASA’s Europa Clipper mission currently being designed at JPL to explore the Galilean moon Europa through a lander and a series of flybys while in orbit around Jupiter to investigate the potential for life.

We explore and we enable exploration.

Hello!

Contact Details

Buzz Aldrin

Advanced Astrodynamics Concepts have a close working relationship with Apollo Astronaut, Dr. Buzz Aldrin.

Exploration Projects

The Advanced Astrodynamics Concepts group works on a variety of projects for the study and exploration of the Solar System by both robots and humans. A few select projects are summarized below:

Human Exploration:
The Advanced Astrodynamics Concepts group is one of the world’s leading academic research group working on various aspects of human exploration of space. AAC specializes in interplanetary mission design to human exploration destinations such as the Moon and Mars. AAC also specializes in the design and evaluation of large-scale, end-to-end, human-mission architectures leading to permanent colonization.

AAC works closely with:

  • NASA H.Q., multiple NASA centers, and the NASA Human Mars Study Group.

  • Dr. Buzz Aldrin on various aspects of human Mars exploration including Earth-Mars cycler trajectories. AAC carried out the first end-to-end “Cycling Pathways” architecture leading to colonization at the request of Dr. Buzz Aldrin in 2015.

  • Lockheed Martin on their Mars Base Camp concept.

Oceanus – A Multi-Spacecraft Multi-Planet Mission Concept:
Oceanus was an experimental graduate design course named, “Conceptual Space Mission Design”, and was offered at Purdue University in May 2016 as a two-week intensive team exercise where students performed a rapid conceptual planetary science mission design. Students participated in a series of concurrent design sessions in an active learning environment where the mission design and instrument suite were finalized. Students learned about the interconnectedness of mission elements, performed the necessary trade-offs to stay within the cost cap, and developed all the necessary tools to conduct the mission concept study.

In August 2015 at the NASA Outer Planets Assessment Meeting, Dr. James Green, the Director of the Planetary Science Division in NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, announced the plan to conduct NASA’s Ice Giants Mission Studies. JPL is currently leading the Ice Giant Mission Studies work. In support of NASA’s plan, the students were inspired to conduct an early mission concept study to explore the ice giant planets within the cost cap of NASA’s Flagship missions.

In May 2015, a unique Saturn-Uranus trajectory option was discovered at Purdue University, led by Kyles Hughes, Sarag Saikia, and James Longuski in addition to working with NASA Ames Research Center, which enables exceptional multi-spacecraft and multi-probe mission opportunities. The students in the course used the exclusive trajectory to develop the mission concept. Such a mission opportunity enables delivery of an atmospheric probe into Saturn’s atmosphere for the first time as well as deliver an orbiter and an entry probe to Uranus. The result of the study is OCEANUS: A Multi-Spacecraft Flagship Mission Concept to Explore Uranus and Saturn.

The mission concept study was presented to a panel of scientists and engineers at the NASA Jet Propulsion Lab, NASA Centers, and Industry. The feedback provided by the panel were very helpful in the preparation of the final report. We thank our colleagues at JPL: Charles Budney, James Cutts, Kim Reh, Young Lee, John Elliott, Anastassios Petropoulos, Nitin Arora, and Jon Sims for valuable insight and support during the study. Finally, we hope the Oceanus mission concept study provides some insight into the design of mission concepts to explore the ice-giant planets.

The final report from the study is linked here.

Collaborators/Consulting

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory:     

Reliotech: Fault Tree Analysis Software:     

Collaborators:

NASA Ames Research Center
NASA Goddard Spaceflight Center
NASA Johnson Space Center
NASA Langley Research Center

Teaching

Teaching contents

Documents

Dissertation and Theses

Journal Publication

Conference Papers and Presentation

Media

Media contents.

Fund Us

Fund Us

Current Students

There are currently nine graduate students working with Professor Longuski and Dr. Saikia towards their doctoral degrees.

+ James W. Moore (doctoral distance student)
+ Robert Potter
+ Alec Mudek
+ Paul Witsberger
+ Jeffrey Pekosh
+ Archit Arora
+ Athul Pradeepkumar Girija
+ Rachana Agrawal
+ Weston Buchanan

Please see the Dissertations section for the list of alumni and their Ph.D. theses.

Alec Mudek

Alec Mudek is a Ph.D. student at Purdue University and a Pathways student intern in the Navigation & Mission Design Branch at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Alec obtained a B.S. in Aeronautical & Astronautical engineering from Purdue in May 2015 and a M.S. in Aeronautical & Astronautical engineering in December 2017. He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. with research interests in interplanetary trajectory design and atmospheric probe mission design.

Since starting graduate school, Alec has investigated trajectory options to Saturn and trajectory options to Venus for various mission concepts. He has also cataloged ballistic and chemical-impulsive trajectory options to Uranus over a 50-year span of launch dates from 2023 – 2073. Alec’s current research involves building low-fidelity, rapid design models for ballistic probes capable of concurrently solving the interplanetary trajectory, atmospheric trajectory, and atmospheric probe subsystems designs. The goal of these models is to better inform interplanetary trajectory designers early in the design process for atmospheric probe missions.

Contact Info: amudek@purdue.edu

Weston Buchanan

Weston graduated with B.A.s in physics and Spanish from Drury University in Springfield, Missouri. He was a member of the baseball team while at Drury and now enjoys playing the guitar and lifting weights in his free time. He loves spending time and having conversations with friends.

Weston first came to Purdue in the fall of 2017 and completed the requirements for a coursework master’s degree in the fall of 2018. He met several wonderful people from various areas of study through Purdue’s Grad. IV chapter and has worked as a teacher’s assistant for the departments of mathematics and psychology.

Weston is currently a PhD student in astrodynamics with research interests in interplanetary trajectory design using gravitational assist maneuvers. He is also a teacher’s assistant for childhood development.

Contact Info: buchanaw@purdue.edu

Robert Potter

Robert Potter graduated with a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo in 2015. At Cal Poly, he participated in the Rose Float club as a member of the construction team. Robert joined the PolySat program in 2014 and became the mission manager for ExoCube, a 3U CubeSat that measured the density and composition of the exosphere.

Robert started at Purdue in the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics in the fall of 2015 and received his M.S. degree in 2017. During his Master’s program he was the Chief Engineer for the Gemini Mars design competition in 2015-2016, which was a follow-on to the Inspiration Mars competition. In addition, Robert was one of two Principal Architects for a two-semester design course in 2016-2017 called “Human Journey to Mars” where he managed a class in the design of a mission architecture and feasibility study of a 50-person Mars research station.

Robert is currently a Ph.D. student at Purdue with research interests in interplanetary trajectory design, Earth-Mars cyclers, and human exploration architectures.

Contact Info: potter22@purdue.edu

Publications

  • Potter, R., Longuski, J., and Saikia, S., “Survey of Low-Thrust, Earth-Mars Cyclers” AAS 19-799, Portland, ME: 2019.
  • Potter, R., Saikia, S., and Longuski, J., “Leveraging NASA’s Lunar Gateway and Human Landing System for Low-Cost Mars Orbital Missions,” AAS 19-800, Portland, ME: 2019.
  • Agrawal, R., Potter, R., Saikia, S., and Longuski, J., “Enabling Sustainable Human Exploration of Mars via an Orbital Logistics Node,” AAS 19-918, Portland, ME: 2019.
  • Potter, R., Saikia, S., and Longuski, J., “Resilient Architecture Pathways to Establish and Operate a Pioneering Base on Mars,” IEEE Aerospace Conference, Big Sky, MT: 2018.
  • Rolley, R. J., Potter, R., Zusack, S., and Saikia, S. J., “Life Cycle Cost Estimation of Conceptual Human Spaceflight Architectures,” AIAA Space 2017 Conference, Orlando, FL: 2017.
  • Potter, R., Woolley, R., Nicholas, A., and Longuski, J., “Features and Characteristics of Earth-Mars Bacon Plots,” AAS 17-671, Stevenson, WA: 2017.
  • Aldrin, B., Witsberger, P., Potter, R., Millane, J., Saikia, S., Kaplinger, B., and Longuski, J., “Hyperbolic Abort Options for Human Missions to Mars,” AAS 17-648, Stevenson, WA: 2017.

Cycler Data

(Coming Soon) This page contains links to all of the cycler data from Potter, Longuski, and Saikia’s “Survey of Low-Thrust, Earth-Mars Cyclers” presented at AAS/AIAA 2019 in Portland, Maine.

The Pareto fronts are shown below to aide in the selection of the desired cycler trajectory.

 

Cycler 1 (Aldrin Cycler)

Cycler 2

Cycler 3

Cycler 4

Hybrid Cycler 4+5

Cycler 5

Cycler 6

Cycler 7

Cycler 8

Cycler 9

Cycler 10 (S1L1)

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Jeffrey Pekosh

Jeffrey received his B.S. in Aerospace Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in May 2016. He began his M.S. in the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics in the following fall, receiving it in December 2018. He is currently a PhD student at Purdue under Professor Longuski with a research focus on the missed-thrust problem.

Contact Info: jpekosh@purdue.edu

Paul Witsberger

Paul received his BS in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering from Purdue University in May 2016 and his MS in Aeronautics and Astronautics from Purdue in May 2017. Paul has published 2 conference papers and 1 journal article with another of each submitted for review. His research interests include using machine learning to solve trajectory design and optimization problems, particularly the missed thrust problem. As an undergraduate, Paul was the project manager of the Purdue Hyperloop Design Team, the principal systems engineer for the Purdue Lunabotics team, and the president of the Purdue AIAA chapter.

Contact Info: pwitsber@purdue.edu

Relevant Publications

Witsberger and J. Longuski, “Interplanetary Trajectory Design Using a Recurrent Neural Network and Genetic Algorithm: Preliminary Results,” AAS 18-411, Snowbird, UT, 2018.

Aldrin, P. Witsberger, R. Potter, J. Millane, S. Saikia, B. Kaplinger, and J. Longuski, “Hyperbolic Abort Options for Human Missions to Mars,” AAS 17-648, Stevenson, WA, 2017.

Athul Pradeepkumar Girija

Athul is a Ph.D. candidate in the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics at Purdue University majoring in Astrodynamics. Athul holds an Integrated Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras. His field of research is aerocapture, mission design, and space systems engineering.

Contact Info: apradee@purdue.edu

Rachana Agrawal

Rachana Agrawal is a PhD student in the AAC research group majoring in Astrodynamics and Space Applications with a minor in Systems Engineering. Her research interests include developing mission concepts, mission design, trajectory design, EDL (Entry, Descent and Landing) and space system concepts.

Her thesis is towards designing mission architecture elements for human missions to Mars. She works on the concept of an orbiting logistics node around Mars to enable a sustainable human presence on Mars in future. She has also been fascinated by the possibility of life elsewhere in the Solar System which got her interested in a rover tire testing project funded by NASA for exploring the Ocean Worlds. She was part of JPL’s Planetary Science Summer Seminar in 2019 where she participated in a concurrent engineering process of mission design to intercept an interstellar object. She was also the cost chair for the study.

She graduated with a B.Tech and M.Tech in Aerospace Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology Mumbai (IITB) in 2017. There she was an active part of the student satellite team, Pratham. She was part of the core team from 2013 to 2016 and headed the Communications Sub-system of the cubesat which was launched by ISRO in 2016. She was also one of the first members of the Mars Society of India where she was part of the electrical sub-system of a six-wheel rocker bogie rover. She designed and developed the robotic arm for the rover.

CV (March 2020)

Contact: agrawa77@purdue.edu

LinkedIn Profile 

Students

Currently there are 6 graduate students in the AAC research group pursuing their doctoral degrees.
+ James Moore (doctoral distance student)
+ Robert Potter
Alec Mudek
Paul Witsberger
Jeffrey Pekosh
Archit Arora

Please see the Dissertations section for the list of alumni and their Ph.D. theses.

Recent Alumni

Some of the most recent alumni are listed below:

+ Dr. Blake Rogers
Dr. Blake A. Rogers successfully defended his Ph.D. dissertation in May 2012. His thesis title is, “Design of Cycler Trajectories and Analysis of Solar Influences on Radioactive Decay Rates During Space Missions.”

+ Dr. Alfred E. Lynam
Dr. Lynam accepted the position of Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, West Virginia University from July 2012.

+ Michael J. Mueterthies
Mike is pursuing his Ph.D. in the Department of Physics, Purdue University.

+ Christopher M. Spreen
Chris completed his M.S. degree and will continue his Ph.D. under the supervision of Prof. Kathleen Howell.

+ Dr. Kevin Kloster
Dr. Kloster joined The Aerospace Corporation after his doctoral degree.

+ Dr. Joseph Gangestad
Dr. Gangestad joined The Aerospace Corporation after his doctoral degree.

+ Dr. George E. Pollock IV
Dr. Pollock joined The Aerospace Corporation after his doctoral degree.

For a complete list of a comprehensive list of alumni see the Dissertations page.

 

Prospective Students

All students in the Advanced Astrodynamics Concepts (AAC) research group are pursuing doctoral degrees. Prospective students are encouraged to send their applications to the Purdue University Graduate School and indicate their interest in AAC in the Essay or Statement of Purpose.

Prospective AAC students typically take the following courses:

  • AAE 507:  Principles of Dynamics
  • AAE 440 (590):  Spacecraft Attitude Dynamics
  • AAE 532: Orbit Mechanics
  • AAE 508: Optimization in Aerospace Engineering

Students with Baccalaureate degrees take the non-thesis Master’s option before moving in to the Ph.D. program. Potential students are invited to take AAE 590 (Directed Study) for two semesters during which they define their doctoral dissertation topic. During this definition period, students present weekly reports on their progress to the AAC research group. Upon successful completion of their directed studies and their non-thesis Master’s degree, students are admitted to the research group to pursue their doctoral degrees.

New graduate students who already have a Master’s and have taken equivalent courses to the aforementioned should take AAE 632 (Advanced Orbital Dynamics) and AAE 607 (Variational Principles of Mechanics) if their schedule permits. These students are considered for admission to the AAC research group only when they pass the Astrodynamics and Space Applications Ph.D. Qualifying Exams.

+ About Financial Support

Research and Teaching Assistantships in AAC are limited. Therefore, students often must seek financial support through various means such as the following.

  1. Fellowships (NSF; Office of the Chief Technologist, NASA; NASA GSRP etc.).
  2. Scholarships (mainly applicable to International students from their home countries).
  3. Teaching Assistantships (Math, First Year Engineering, Freshmen Honors Engineering, languages, etc.).
  4. Graduate Research Assistants, Graduate Assistants in non-AAE schools, Libraries, Purdue administration.

Please note that this is not a comprehensive list of funding options for students.

While the pursuit of a Ph.D. in the AAC research group is challenging both intellectually and financially, virtually all successful candidates find prestigious positions in the aerospace industry, government laboratories, and academia.