Rodriguez Sesma, Ismael has requested to schedule their MS Thesis Proposal. This request has been approved by their faculty advisor, the AE Associate Chair for Graduate Programs, and the AE Communications Office. Please proceed to post the annoucement on the OGE website. The details are as follows:

Student Name: Ismael Rodríguez Sesma

Advisor: Dr. Dimitri Mavris

Milestone: MS Thesis Proposal

Degree Program: Aerospace Engineering

Title: Integrating End-Of-Life Considerations into Cislunar Constellation Design: Development of and EOL Capability Metric and Analysis Framework

Abstract: The rapid expansion of governmental and commercial activity in cislunar space demands a transition from mission-specific exploration to sustainable, infrastructure-level operations. Yet, current constellation design methodologies for the Earth–Moon system prioritize coverage and cost while neglecting End-Of-Life (EOL) considerations. This omission risks reproducing in cislunar space the long-term congestion and debris issues that emerged in low Earth orbit. This thesis addresses that gap by integrating disposal feasibility and sustainability directly into the early-stage design of cislunar spacecraft constellations. The research develops a unified optimization framework that combines Circular Restricted Three-Body Problem (CR3BP) dynamics, multi-objective constellation design, and EOL strategy formulation. Central to this framework is the End-of-Life Capability Metric (ECM); a normalized, dimensionless indicator that quantifies an architecture’s ability to achieve compliant disposal under realistic dynamical and operational constraints. The ECM incorporates the fraction of successfully disposed spacecraft, propellant expenditure, and cumulative risk associated with execution failure, containment loss, and collision probability. An analysis environment implements this framework by coupling CR3BP propagation with performance, cost, and ECM evaluation. Using Design Of Experiments to explore the design space, the framework aims to explore trade-offs among constellation performance, system cost, and EOL capability. The expected outcome is to show that embedding EOL capability as a co-equal design objective enables identification of cislunar constellation architectures that remain dynamically stable, fuel-efficient, and compliant with emerging sustainability norms. In doing so, this research advances proactive stewardship of the cislunar environment and establishes a quantitative foundation for future design standards that link mission performance, cost effectiveness, and environmental responsibility.

Date and time: 2025-10-30, 9am

Location: Webber Collaborative Visual Environment (CoVE)

Committee:
Dr. Dimitri Mavris (advisor), School of Aerospace Engineering
Dr. Thomas González Roberts, School of Aerospace Engineering
Dr. Tristan Sarton Du Jonchay, School of Aerospace Engineering
Dr. Bradford Robertson , School of Aerospace Engineering
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