Daniele Mortari Astronautics Symposium

 

Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA

December 11-12, 2025  

 

 

 

AGENDA

 

December 11: Morning Sessions

Time Speaker Title
8:25 D. Lagoudas (A&M)

Symposium Welcome Address
8:30

A. Negrete,

S. Choi,

O. Abdelkhalik
(Iowa State)

 Shape-based Approximation for Low-Thrust Spacecraft
Trajectory Using Chebyshev Polynomials
8:50 M. Romano (TUM) Time-Optimal Control of Linear Time Invariant Systems
with Application to Spacecraft Relative Maneuvering
9:10

S. Calabrese,

D. Mortari (A&M)

 Solving Approximate ODEs using Theory of Functional
Connections: Application to Soil Moisture Dry-Down Estimation
9:30 R. Miles (A&M) Red Rotating Laser Beacon for Collision Warning and
Avoidance
9:50

F. Criscola,

D. Canales,

A. Farres

(Embry-Riddle)

 Stability Analysis and Applications of Quasi-Periodic
Motion Around Earth-Moon L4 Short-Period Orbits
10:10 20 minute coffee break

 

Session 1 Chair: Yalchin Efendiev

 

Time Speaker Title
10:30

S. Choi,

O. Abdelkhalik
(Iowa State)

 Shape-Based Low-Thrust Δv Prediction Using Deep Neural
Networks
10:50

F. D’Onofrio,

R. Zanetti (UT)

 Particle flow filtering on SE(3) for pose estimation
11:10 R. Furfaro (UoA) From TFC to X-TFC: A Mortari-Inspired Journey to
Physics-Informed Optimal Control for Spaceflight
11:30

F. Giraldo-Grueso,

C. D’Souza (JSC)

 Vent Modeling as Point Processes For Crewed Missions
11:50 G. Chamitoff (A&M) Space Teams PRO: A Digital Twin of the Space Environment
for Space Mission Design, Analysis, Planning and
Operations
12:30 Lunch (90 minutes)

Session 2 Chair: Richard Linares

 

December 11: Afternoon Sessions

Time Speaker Title
14:00

W, Lee,

T. Twellman,

G. Chamitoff (A&M)

 Sigma-Point-Informed Imagery for Landing Terrain-
Relative Navigation
14:20

A. Sein,

G. Chamitoff (A&M)

 The Stellar Positioning System for Small Body Exploration
14:40

R. Mamich,

K. Michaelson,
R. Zanetti (UT)

 Adaptive Relative Spacecraft Navigation in Proximity
Operations with Unmodeled Target Behavior
15:00 Y. Efendiev (A&M) Multicontinuum Homogenization for Macroscopic Modeling
of Complex Multiscale Processes
15:20

A. Negrete,

O. Abdelkhalik
(Iowa State)

 On Optimal Control of Dynamic Systems
15:40 20 minute coffee break

Session 3 Chair: Chris D'Souza

 

Time Speaker Title
16:00

A. Rigato,

R. Zanetti (UT)

 Attitude Estimation using Redundant Gyroscopes
16:20

J. Junkins,

K. Yamamoto,

A. Bire (A&M)

 Adaptive Multi-Resolution Input-Output Modeling in n-
Dimensions
16:40 L. Iess (La Sapienza) Novel Tracking Systems for Orbit Determination and
Planetary Geodesy
17:00 R. Bhattacharya (A&M) Robust Cislunar Navigation with Performance Guarantees
17:20 R. Linares (MIT) From Flower Constellations to Orbital Capacity: Structuring
the Crowded Sky
18:00 Dinner on your own

Session 4 Chair: Maruthi Akella

 

December 12: Morning Sessions

Time Speaker Title
8:30 S. Ziegler (Space Kinetic) From Defense to Dual-Use: Applying the Nitze Criteria
to Commercial Space for Effectiveness, Survivability and
Cost Effectiveness
8:50

S. Aliberti,

M. Romano
(TUM)

 Lyapunov-Based Low-Thrust Control and Stabilization of
a Tethered Satellite System in Arbitrary Attitude Configurations
9:10

T. White,

D. Mortari

(A&M)

 Solving Discontinuous Differential Equations using The
Theory of Functional Connections
9:30

A. Aguilar,

D. Selva (A&M)

 Decentralized Autonomous Operation Methods for Agile
Earth-Observing Satellite Constellations under Dynamic
Event Monitoring Missions
9:50

J. Joshi,

R. Zanetti,

R. Russel (UT)

 Angle-Based Star Occultation Measurements for Spacecraft
Navigation
10:10 20 minute coffee break

Session 5 Chair: Marcello Romano

 

Time Speaker Title
10:30

S. Choi,

T. Gibson,

O. Abdelkhalik
(Iowa State)

 Learning-Based Prediction of Deep Space Maneuver Positions
for Rendezvous Missions
10:50

A. Carrasco,

R. Linares
(MIT)

 Fine-tuning LLMs for Autonomous Spacecraft Control:
A Case Study Using Kerbal Space Program
11:10 S. Chakravorty (A&M) Probabilistic Methods for Initial Orbit Determination
and Target Tracking in Cislunar Space
11:30

L. Federici,

F. Curti (UoA)

 A Pulse-Width Modulated Thruster Control for Autonomous
Docking via Reinforcement Learning
11:50

A. Zamora,

K. DeMars
(A&M)

 Stability and Implementation of the Square Root Reproducing
Kernel Hilbert Space Extended Kalman Filter for
Robust Spacecraft Navigation and Tracking
12:30 Lunch (90 minutes)

Session 6 Chair: Renato Zanetti

 

December 12: Afternoon Sessions

Time Speaker Title
14:00 B. Dunbar (A&M) A Study on the Effect of Reduced Gravitational Acceleration
(Moon and Mars) and Solid Surface Energies on
Fluid Two Phase Buoyancy
14:20 J. Connolly (A&M) TAMU-SPIRIT – A&M’s Satellite Campus in Space
14:40

M. Maadani,

E. Butcher (UoA)

 A Containment-Motivated Numerical Algorithm for
Computing the Mean of Rotations on SO(3)
15:00

P. Lealiiee,

M. Akella (UT)

 Information-Driven Spacecraft Trajectory Planning for
Inspection of Uncooperative Space Vehicles
15:20 K. Karunakaran (Mason) Modeling Contrail Formation Via an SIR-Framework
15:40 20 minute coffe break

Session 7 Chair: Raktim Bhattacharya

 

Time Speaker Title
16:00

K. Gupta,

A. D’Ambrosio,

A. Scorsoglio,

R. Furfaro (UoA)

 Physics-informed Deep Neural Operators for xGEO
Angles-only Initial Orbit Determination
16:20 B. Mahajan (JSC) Regularized Universal Lambert Solver using
Kustaanheimo-Stiefel Transformation
16:40 B. Spratling (SingAccord) Any-3-Star Identification Performance Improvements
17:00

M. Majji,

T. Ahrens (A&M)

 The Norm Dependent Wahba Problem - Some Solutions
17:20 K. Chadha et al. (A&M) Propellant Efficiency Optimization for Starship-Class
Earth-Mars Trajectories: Comparative Analysis of
Propulsion Maneuver Options and Refueling Infrastructure
Configurations
17:50 J. Junkins (A&M) Plenary Talk Introduction
18:00 D. Mortari (A&M) Plenary Talk
19:00 Dinner in Chevron Rooms

Session 8 Chair: Roberto Furfaro