Published Research Papers

IRIS mission: tackling the problem of climate change by monitoring water areas' pollution

Alessio Bocci, Rashika Sugganahalli Natesh Babu, et al - GLOC 2023 - T, IP, x74940, IAF Global Space Conference on Climate Change (GLOC 2023), Oslo, Norway, 23-25 May 2023

This work focuses on leveraging the IRIS (Imaging of Pollution tRaces In the Seas) technology, a hyperspectral orbital camera, to address climate change issues. IRIS detects and monitors litter, like plastic and oil spills, in the Mediterranean Sea with high-resolution imaging. It aims to expand the utility of IRIS by identifying climate change hotspots in the Mediterranean region based on temperature measurements. Rising temperatures are linked to plastic decomposition and greenhouse gas release. The study involves optimizing satellite constellation design, exploring innovative image utilization techniques, and refining mechanisms for identifying pollution-temperature correlations. Ultimately, this work seeks to enhance IRIS's role in combatting climate change through improved environmental monitoring.

Keywords: water pollution, contaminants detection, plastic detection, temperature measurements, climate change.

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ARGO: a planetary defense mission to test gravity traction techniques

Alessio Boccia, Rashika Sugganahalli NB, Michèle Lavagna et. al - IAC-21-A3.4B.4.x67075 - 72nd International Astronautical Congress (IAC), Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 25-29 October 2021

ARGO: a planetary defense mission to test gravity traction techniques is a research output of the intensive project work carried out in the capacity of the Space Mission Design and Analysis course. Asteroid Redirection with Gravity tractoring and Observation (ARGO) is a preliminary mission design in the framework of the planetary protection topics; the 162000 (1990 OS) binary Near-Earth Asteroid system is selected as a well-suited training environment to assess the gravity tractor (GT) technique effectiveness for potential Earth impact hazard mitigation, here applied on the secondary system. As a secondary goal, the mission would also scientifically characterize the system. The characterization aims to map gravitational harmonics, shape, and orbital characteristics of the binary system along with spectroscopic, thermal inertia, and volatile studies. Characterization of the system was highly necessary to design the spacecraft considering all the safety and risk factors. ADCS and Telecommunication subsystems were designed phase-wise, which was a clever decision to have authority over power requirements during occultation periods. According to simulations, ARGO can operate a 15 % change in the semi-major axis of the moonlet’s orbit over a three-year span, thereby demonstrating the GT technology within a reasonable time frame. Model-based system engineering and requirements development were adapted in the development of this work strictly adhering to INCOSE Systems Engineering, ECSS, and CCSDS standards.

Keywords: Binary system, electric propulsion, gravity tractoring, low thrust transfer, near Earth asteroid, planetary protection.

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PoliSpace: a student approach for enabling the growth of the Italian space workforce

Francesco Ventre, Rashika Sugganahalli Natesh Babu et. al - IAC-21-A3.4B.4.x67075 - 72nd International Astronautical Congress (IAC), Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 25-29 October 2021

The Italian education system is strongly focused on the theoretical side of an individual's education, often resulting in limited access to practical activities for undergraduate and graduate students. Moreover, the ongoing pandemic forced students to take education programs virtually. To combat these issues, a group of students from Politecnico di Milano conceived the idea to create a framework linking University students with companies and faculty researchers, building projects to encourage collaboration between their University and worldwide firms and institutions. The aim is to develop and deploy Politecnico di Milano’s first indigenous and student-built satellite. Envisioned ideas and predictions were presented at IAC, 2021 as a conference paper.


Keywords: Italian space workforce, Education outreach, Satellite development

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Key Projects - Research

Mobirise Website Builder
Master Thesis

Automatic Mass Balancing of 3 DOF Attitude Testbed Simulator Using System Identification. 
Keywords: Hardware-in-loop (HIL), LQR, Adaptive Control, Kalman filter, UKF, EKF; Lyapunov function
Tools: MATLAB & Simulink, LaTeX, GitHub

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Phase A - Space Mission Design and Analysis

Asteroid Redirection with Gravity tractoring and Observation.
Keywords: Requirement and Model-based systems engineering, ECSS standards; Tools: MATLAB & Simulink, GMAT, FreeFlyer, LaTeX;
Skills: Team management, Leadership, Deadline oriented, Punctual

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Bachelor Thesis

Modelling of Media Correction and Atmospheric Drag for Orbit Determination.

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