Research Focus Areas

Astrodynamics 

  • Developed a new dynamic model, representing spacecraft translation dynamics, useful for solving challenging optimal control problems associated with low-thrust spacecraft trajectory optimization.
  • Developed a fast and robust optimization framework for analyzing orbit-raising missions for all-electric satellites; this framework does not rely on user-provided initial guesses in order to solve the underlying optimization problem.   
  • Developing a framework for analyzing coverage maps for satellite constellations and spacecraft formations.   

Space Mission Analysis and Design

  • Designed a mission to fly a neutrino detector close to the Sun, taking into account operational and cost constraints. 
  • Designed a CubeSat constellation for monitoring hurricanes over mainland United States. 

Control Systems  

  • Developed an algorithm for generating fast and robust solutions to optimal control problem associated with deployment of all-electric satellites in geosynchronous transfer orbit.
  • Developed control algorithms for spacecraft attitude control and formation attitude synchronization problems.  

Disaster Analytics    

  • Currently investigating use of machine learning to improve prediction of disasters (as part of the Disaster Resilience and Analytics Center, funded by WSU President's Convergent Science Proposal). 

Externally Funded Projects 

[P6] CubeSat Space Flight test of a Neutrino Detector, Selected for funding by NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts Program (NIAC) Phase III, 2021-2023, (Atri Dutta is a Co-I, Nickolas Solomey from Physics WSU is PI).  

[P5] Artificial Intelligence Assisted Spacecraft Trajectory Optimization and Planning, Funded by NASA EPSCOR CAN Program, 2020-2023, (Atri Dutta is Science Principal Investigator). 

[P4] Continuous Monitoring of Hurricanes using Rain CubeSats, Funded by NASA SMD FINESST Program, 2019-2022, (PI: Atri Dutta, Future Investigator: Pardhasai Chadalavada).  

[P3] Astrophysics and Technical Lab Studies of a Solar Neutrino Spacecraft Detector, Funded by NASA NIAC Program, 2019-2021, (Atri Dutta is a Co-I, Nickolas Solomey from Physics WSU is PI). 

[P2] Integrated Optimization Framework for Detecting and Characterizing Unobserved Spacecraft Maneuvers, Funded by Extension Grant to Visiting Faculty Research Program, Air Force Research Laboratory, 2019, (PI: Atri Dutta).  

[P1] Multi-objective Optimization Framework for Spacecraft Low-Thrust Orbit-raising, Funded by Kansas NASA EPSCOR Program Seed Research Initiative, 2014-2015 (PI: Atri Dutta).