Ho wins Napolitano Award for network optimization of space mission plan

Aerospace Engineering at Illinois Assistant Prof. Koki Ho is the winner of the 2015 Luigi G. Napolitano Award.

The award recognizes researchers who have contributed significantly to the advancement of aerospace science as evidenced through a paper at the International Astronautical Congress. The Space Education and Outreach Committee (SEOC) of the International Astronautical Federation presents the award annually to a scientist younger than 30 years old.

Ho had presented the paper, “Campaign-Level Dynamic Network Modeling for Spaceflight Logistics for the Flexible Path Concept.” The research develops a dynamic network optimization formulation for space mission planning. Introduced is a campaign-level perspective to mission planning, including consideration of reusable space infrastructure, as opposed to the mission-level perspective conventionally used.

Ho has spent the fall semester working as a visiting researcher on robotic missions at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). He will join the AE faculty in January, and hopes to design infrastructure system support for interplanetary travel as well as add expertise to AE’s small satellite program.