- Nationality: Spanish
- Funding entity and Program: ESA Networking/Partnering Initiative

PhD Thesis
Automatic Maneuver Detection in the SST Observation Correlation Process
Supervisors
Manuel Sanjurjo Rivo (UC3M) and Jan Siminski (ESA)
Abstract
As the near Earth orbital environment continues to clutter with debris and mega-constellations, advanced methods for Space Surveillance and Tracking are deemed necessary to maintain acceptable levels of risk in space operations. This PhD is aimed at the development of automated maneuver detection methods to increase the level of automation in data association tasks, with the ultimate goal of minimizing the state uncertainty of active space objects. Data association and maneuver detection are jointly posed in the form of a multiple-target maneuvering target tracking problem, in which each individual target is characterized by a stochastic hybrid system. Information derived from measurements, control cost and historical maneuvers is leveraged in a statistical framework allowing for inherent robustness.
Research Stays

Institutions: University of Texas at Austin
Department/Group: Controls, Autonomy, Estimation, and Learning for Uncertain Systems (CAELUS)
Host: Brandon A. Jones
Period: from May 2022 to December 2022

Institutions: European Space Operations Center
Department/Group: Space Debris Office (OPS-SD)
Host: Jan Siminski
Period: from November 2021 to December 2021