Danielle R
- Research Program Mentor
PhD candidate at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Expertise
satellite-based navigation, model-based estimation, Kalman filters, orbital mechanics, Global Positioning System, stochastic processes, probability and statistics, MatLab coding, writing scientific papers (equation-heavy) in LaTeX, creating figures on Adobe Illustrator
Bio
Danielle Racelis obtained a bachelor’s degree (2014) in mechanical engineering from University of the Philippines, and a bachelor’s (2017) and master’s degree (2019) in aerospace engineering from University of Arizona. She is an aerospace engineering PhD candidate at Virginia Tech, working on navigation integrity using multi-constellation GNSS and LEO satellite constellations. She loves playing guitar, dancing Bachata, playing management video games, watching Kdramas, and playing with her two dogs (Tycho and Kepler). She is fluent in English and Tagalog, and is a NAUI-certified scuba diver.Project ideas
Kessler Syndrome and the Space Debris Problem
Kessler syndrome refers to a scenario in which objects orbiting the Earth collide to create numerous smaller objects, in such a way that the number of collisions and new objects cascades. The result is a maelstrom of debris blanketing the Earth, endangering both manned spacecraft (ISS) and unmanned satellites (weather satellites, Direct TV satellites), and impeding further space travel. The objective would be to write a research paper which (1) explains the science behind the space debris problem (might require rudimentary orbital mechanics), (2) consolidates historical events and decisions that brought on the space debris problem, and (3) evaluates ongoing and potential solutions to ameliorate the space debris problem. The scope of work could be limited to a qualitative analysis, or it could incorporate satellite orbit simulations on MatLab. (Image via University of Miami)