Related papers: Multiple Space Debris Collecting Mission -- Optima…
Platooning of vehicles is a promising approach for reducing fuel consumption, increasing vehicle safety, and using road space more efficiently. We consider the important but difficult problem of assigning optimal routes and departure…
In this paper, the scheduling problems of landing and takeoff aircraft on a same runway and on dual runways are addressed. In contrast to the approaches based on mixed-integer optimization models in existing works, our approach focuses on…
This paper addresses a fuel-constrained, autonomous vehicle path planning problem in the presence of multiple refueling stations. We are given a set of targets, a set of refueling stations, and a depot where $m$ vehicles are stationed. The…
We present a new algorithm for deploying passenger robots in marsupial robot systems. A marsupial robot system consists of a carrier robot (e.g., a ground vehicle), which is highly capable and has a long mission duration, and at least one…
This paper introduces an algorithm to perform optimal reorientation of a spacecraft during a high speed flyby mission that maximizes the time a certain target is kept within the field of view of scientific instruments. The method directly…
This paper proposes a distributed on-orbit spacecraft assembly algorithm, where future spacecraft can assemble modules with different functions on orbit to form a spacecraft structure with specific functions. This form of spacecraft…
At modern warehouses, mobile robots transport packages and drop them into collection bins/chutes based on shipping destinations grouped by, e.g., the ZIP code. System throughput, measured as the number of packages sorted per unit of time,…
This paper presents a sizing procedure for a rocket family capable of fulfilling multiple missions, considering the commonalities between the vehicles. The procedure aims to take full advantage of sharing a common part across multiple…
This paper presents a novel methodology for solving the time-optimal trajectory optimization problem for interplanetary solar-sail missions using successive convex programming. Based on the non-convex problem, different convexification…
We study the problem of sequential task assignment and collision-free routing for large teams of robots in applications with inter-task precedence constraints (e.g., task $A$ and task $B$ must both be completed before task $C$ may begin).…
Active debris removal (ADR) missions have garnered significant interest as means of mitigating collision risks in space. This work proposes a convex optimization-based model predictive control (MPC) approach to provide guidance for such…
This paper investigates the optimal infrastructure planning and order assignment problem of an on-demand food-delivery platform with a mixed fleet of drones and human couriers. The platform has two delivery modes: (a) ground delivery and…
Given a set of celestial bodies, the problem of finding an optimal sequence of swing-bys, deep space manoeuvres (DSM) and transfer arcs connecting the elements of the set is combinatorial in nature. The number of possible paths grows…
As Multi-Robot Systems (MRS) become more affordable and computing capabilities grow, they provide significant advantages for complex applications such as environmental monitoring, underwater inspections, or space exploration. However,…
With the ever growing number of space debris in orbit, the need to prevent further space population is becoming more and more apparent. Refueling, servicing, inspection and deorbiting of spacecraft are some example missions that require…
In this paper, we propose a novel methodology for path planning and scheduling for multi-robot navigation that is based on optimal transport theory and model predictive control. We consider a setup where $N$ robots are tasked to navigate to…
The growing number of noncooperative flying objects has prompted interest in sample-return and space debris removal missions. Current solutions are both costly and largely dependent on specific object identification and capture methods. In…
The density of orbital space debris constitutes an increasing environmental challenge. There are three ways to alleviate the problem: debris mitigation, debris removal and collision avoidance. This paper addresses collision avoidance, by…
In many applications, including underwater robotics, the coverage problem requires an autonomous vehicle to systematically explore a defined area while minimizing redundancy and avoiding obstacles. This paper investigates coverage path…
Orbital debris is a pressing problem which presents a danger to global space operations and a barrier to continued development of the space economy and space infrastructure. As research continues regarding orbital debris, there is a need…