Events Calendar

Astronautical Engineering Seminar

Speaker: Prof. Mehran Mesbahi, Univ. of Washington

Talk Title: Autonomous Networked Space Systems

Abstract: This talk presents an overview of Mesbahi’s research on autonomous space systems, with particular attention to the design of the underlying control and motion planning algorithms using quaternions, dual quaternions, and convex optimization. Applications of such an approach to missions such as proximity operations, planetary landing, and asteroid capture will then be discussed. The second part of the talk will present some of the Mesbahi group's research on networked space systems, highlighting the challenges in the design of distributed algorithms for their autonomous or semi-autonomous operation.

Biography: Mehran Mesbahi received his Ph.D. in electrical engineering from USC in 1996. He was a member of the Guidance, Navigation, and Analysis group at JPL from 1996-2000 and an Assistant Professor of Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics at the University of Minnesota from 2000-2002. He is currently a Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Adjunct Professor of Mathematics, and Executive Director of Joint Center for Aerospace Technology Innovation at the University of Washington. He was the recipient of the NSF CAREER Award in 2001, NASA Space Act Award in 2004, UW Distinguished Teaching Award in 2005, and UW College of Engineering Innovator Award in 2008. His research interest is autonomous and networked aerospace systems.

Host: Dan Erwin

Location: Kaprielian Hall (KAP) - 158

Audiences: Everyone Is Invited

Contact: Dan Erwin