Hao Chen
(Advisor: Prof. Koki Ho)

will defend a doctoral thesis entitled,

Interdisciplinary Space Logistics Optimization Framework for Large-Scale Space Exploration

On

[date & time] Friday, April 16 at 2 p.m.
[BlueJeans] https://bluejeans.com/491991839

Abstract

As low-cost rocket launch technologies and space resource utilization systems emerge, human space exploration is attracting increasing interest from industry, government, and academia. To extend the domain of human activity beyond the low-Earth orbit and maintain a long-term human presence in cislunar space and eventually Mars, we need to build a sustainable and affordable interplanetary space transportation system. It requires a campaign-level perspective for space mission design in addition to the conventional mission-level perspective. This thesis proposes multiple novel methodologies to take into account space system interactions and mission interdependencies in multi-mission space campaign planning. Multiple case studies for human lunar and Mars exploration campaigns are conducted leveraging the proposed methods and frameworks to demonstrate their values and potential impacts. This research resolves the grand challenge of space logistics mission design through concurrent optimization of space transportation scheduling, spacecraft sizing, and space infrastructure deployment planning.

Committee

• Prof. Koki Ho – School of Aerospace Engineering (advisor)
• Prof. E. Glenn Lightsey – School of Aerospace Engineering
• Prof. Brian Gunter – School of Aerospace Engineering
• Prof. Christopher Carr – School of Aerospace Engineering
• Prof. Harrison M. Kim – Department of Industrial and Enterprise Systems Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC)