Danielle R
- Research Program Mentor
PhD Doctor of Philosophy candidate
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
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)