Marcus Holzinger News

Holzinger interviewed by PBS News Hour on space junk

Jeff Zehnder — Mon, 12 Aug 2024 22:27:54 +0000

Holzinger interviewed by PBS News Hour on space junk Jeff Zehnder Mon, 08/12/2024 - 16:27

Marcus Holzinger spoke to PBS News Hour about the growing problem of derelict satellites and other debris orbiting our planet: space junk.

"So these are defunct satellites, rocket bodies that have been expended and left up in orbit, as well as parts of spacecraft or parts of rocket bodies that have been up there now for an excess of 50 years, and even all the way up to the current time. There are about 40,000 objects that we're tracking right now on orbit," Holzinger said.

Holzinger, an associate professor in the Ann and H.J. Smead Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences, is an expert on space domain awareness -- the study and monitoring of satellites orbiting the Earth.

During the interview, he discussed the importance of systems to track orbital material and policy solutions to ensure old satellites are de-orbited or moved to graveyard orbits to ensure they do not cause problems in the future.

Read the Interview Transcript | Watch the Interview on YouTube

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CU Boulder leading $5 million multi-university project to advance the space economy

Anonymous — Tue, 03 Oct 2023 17:37:18 +0000

CU Boulder leading $5 million multi-university project to advance the space economy Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 10/03/2023 - 11:37

Jeff Zehnder

The space economy is booming, and the �ֲ��ý Boulder is at the forefront of a major federal funding initiative aimed at expanding science and engineering knowledge and workforce development for projects centered on operations Beyond Geostationary Orbit (xGEO) and Space Domain Awareness (SDA).

Leading this endeavor is Marcus Holzinger, a J. Negler Endowed Professor in the Ann and H.J. Smead Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences. He is heading a new, $5 million, up to five-year research award with an option for an additional $1 million and further follow on funding.

The grant will go toward an array of diverse activities, including lunar-focused astrodynamics and sensing research, conflict simulation, and expanding workforce pathways related to the space workforce.

It may sound like science fiction, but NASA, the U.S. Space Force (USSF), and a rapidly growing number of private businesses envision significant potential for economic development on and around the Moon.

“There is a massive growth forecast in the space economy over the next 10-15 years; it’s going to double and then double again,” said Holzinger.

Called STARLIT, the grant brings together an array of leading aerospace universities, including CU Boulder, Purdue, Georgia Tech, Texas A&M, University of Texas Austin, and the University at Buffalo as well as an industry advisory board of 11 aerospace firms.

“We’re bringing together all the right people. These collaborators are experts in astrodynamics, space traffic management, data fusion, and cognitive engineering. It’s really an amazing team,” Holzinger said.

An additional CU Boulder partner is the university’s Center for National Security Initiatives. NSI will facilitate sponsor events and engagement, monitor cost-performance objectives, and identify adjacent defense opportunities to further advance the research and expand its national security footprint.

The project is being administered by the Universities Space Research Association and funded by the U.S. Space Force and the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL).

Growing People

One focus of the funding opportunity is dramatically expanding the space workforce. The funding aims to create new graduate education pathways, including summer research initiatives with minority serving institutions, student employment and mentorship opportunities, and internship programs through community colleges.

“We need more folks to go into astrodynamics. CU Boulder and other universities have increased enrollment, but there are probably two job openings for every person in these core areas,” Holzinger said. “How do we help direct students into these careers?”

Expanding Research

The grant will also boost efforts on orbital propagation and mission design for satellites and space vehicles that travel beyond low Earth orbit, including to the Moon.

Although the United States made multiple successful landings on the Moon, the drive for a space economy demands scalable toolsets and technology transfer to simplify the process and improve safety, according to Dan Scheeres, a distinguished professor of aerospace at CU Boulder and co-investigator on the grant.

“Over the last decade there have been significant advances in our understanding of the dynamics and navigation of spacecraft in cis-lunar space. However, many of these advances have not made their way into the operational tools that USSF and commercial operators use. This research is focused on transitioning these tools and concepts into some of the day-to-day operations and capabilities for cis-lunar space,” Scheeres said.

Conflict Simulations

A major reason for expanded interest in the Moon is the discovery of frozen water at the Lunar South Pole. It represents a potential game changer for space exploration, making it much easier to sustain human life on the Moon and beyond.

That creates new opportunities and challenges. With more nations and businesses targeting the Moon for economic development, the potential for conflict between them is growing. As part of the grant’s research focus, the team aims to develop new decision-making tools to avoid conflict and strategic surprise.

“This is about nation states and companies interacting and competing diplomatically and economically,” Holzinger said. “With the resources we’ve now discovered on the Moon, these are important questions that have never been explored. We’re going to learn a lot.”

As human and robotic space missions continue to expand, Holzinger is excited about the opportunities the grant presents to positively contribute to the future of science and engineering.

“This isn’t just sending people to the Moon, but engaging in economic activity there,” Holzinger said. “The first space race was about national pride and prestige. This second space race is about durable, sustainable human economic activity there long term.”

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CU Boulder wins major Air Force grant to track objects orbiting the moon

Anonymous — Mon, 21 Aug 2023 15:25:23 +0000

CU Boulder wins major Air Force grant to track objects orbiting the moon Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 08/21/2023 - 09:25

Jeff Zehnder

We want to advance civil space traffic management and planetary defense for asteroids."

The �ֲ��ý Boulder is leading a major Air Force project to track objects orbiting near the moon.

The Air Force Research Laboratory is awarding a Space University Research Initiative worth up to $5 million over five years to the multi-university CU Boulder-led team. Also collaborating on the research are Texas A&M University, the Georgia Institute of Technology, and L3Harris Technologies.

The goal is to improve space domain awareness in high Earth orbits – above geosynchronous – and in the vicinity of the moon, according to Marcus Holzinger, an associate professor in the Ann and H.J. Smead Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences and the principal investigator for the grant.

“We want to advance civil space traffic management and planetary defense for asteroids, and assist the U.S. Space Force with space tracking,” Holzinger said. “This is truly a dual use that improves timeliness and the quality of decisions as a benefit to humanity writ large.”

An additional CU Boulder partner on the project is the university’s Center for National Security Initiatives. NSI will facilitate sponsor events and engagement, monitor cost-performance objectives, and identify adjacent defense opportunities to further advance the research and expand its national security footprint.

The project presents unique and complex challenges for all members of the team, said Zach Sunberg, an assistant professor in Smead Aerospace who is also a team member.

“Space is not an intuitive domain. We will need to use innovative algorithms, computational techniques, and experimental research to make this happen. This really brings together experts in areas ranging from orbital dynamics, to human computer interaction, to high tech sensors,” Sunberg said.

NASA and the Air Force currently maintain systems to track asteroids and man-made objects in Low Earth Orbit for military readiness and to prevent collisions of satellites but have more limited capabilities for monitoring objects around the moon.

Up until very recently, that has not been a problem as hardly any missions orbited the moon. The recent explosion of commercial and government projects at higher orbits makes the current system unsustainable. Unfortunately, existing tracking systems cannot be easily adapted for the purpose.

“The current systems are all legacy technology. The algorithms that underpin them depend on Keplerian physics, two-body motion – the Earth and one other body. The region we’re talking about is heavily affected by the gravity of the moon and the sun as well, and the dynamics we use to predict movement begin to fail,” Holzinger said.

The grant will include fundamental and applied research joining telescopes, sensor technology, and artificial intelligence to detect, characterize, and track spacefaring objects in high orbits to improve decision making for humans on the ground.

“We need to know is this a spacecraft or a natural object and where is it going,” Holzinger said. “This improves safety for civilian and commercial space flights and can help us spot asteroids that may be on a collision course with Earth.”

Sunberg said the project has real potential for positive, long-lasting impacts.

“Humanity has the potential to harness the space around the Earth and the moon for a variety of benefits. However, as this area becomes increasingly occupied with satellites controlled by users with different goals, it is more and more important to maintain our situational awareness so it is a safe and useful environment for all. This work will develop technologies critical to that goal,” Sunberg said.

Additional researchers on the grant include Scott Palo at CU Boulder; Terry Alfriend, Kyle DeMars, and John Junkins of Texas A&M University; and Karen Feigh of Georgia Tech.

The �ֲ��ý Boulder is leading a major Air Force project to track objects orbiting near the moon. The Air Force Research Laboratory is awarding a Space University Research Initiative worth up to $5 million over five years to the...

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NBC news discusses cislunar space with Marcus Holzinger

Anonymous — Mon, 23 Jan 2023 16:41:06 +0000

NBC news discusses cislunar space with Marcus Holzinger Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 01/23/2023 - 09:41

Marcus Holzinger was interviewed by NBC News for a new piece on the growth of commercial and government missions to the Moon.

Holzinger, an associate professor in the Ann and H.J. Smead Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences, is an expert on space domain awareness and the co-author of a 2021 report titled A Primer on Cislunar Space.

He said a driver of the new push to the Moon is the discovery of water ice deposits on the lunar surface

“Once people started really thinking through that, they realized that that water-ice can provide substantial resources or enable the gathering or collection of resources elsewhere in the solar system,” Holzinger said.

Read the full piece at NBCNews.com

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CU Boulder joins academic partnership with U.S. Space Command

Anonymous — Wed, 11 Jan 2023 16:17:46 +0000

CU Boulder joins academic partnership with U.S. Space Command Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 01/11/2023 - 09:17

Jeff Zehnder

The �ֲ��ý Boulder has been selected as a United States Space Command Academic Engagement Enterprise member.

The new national program is designed to expand collaboration and academic exchanges between universities and U.S. Space Command.

“They’re engaging with top universities in the country to have two-way communication; how Space Command can help us and how we can benefit them,” said Marcus Holzinger, an associate professor in the Ann and H.J. Smead Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences. “It’s about educational best practices.”

Space Command has four key goals for the program:

Engage the future workforce
Increase space applied research and innovation
Expand space-focused analytic partnerships
Enrich the strategic dialogue on space

The program will have particular impact in developing training for members of the still new Space Force military branch, which was established in 2019, but its impact will be felt across all branches of the military and into the civilian space realm.

“Even if a student isn’t going into the Space Force, the majority of funding in aerospace has strong connections to the military and intelligence community. There’s a shared vernacular and it’s important for our education to meet the needs,” Holzinger said.

CU Boulder was invited by Space Command to apply to the program, which was created in 2022. The initiative has particular relevance to the aerospace department but the partnership applies university-wide.

“This is a new initiative. It’s a fresh blank slate,” Holzinger said. “We’re taking results from our research and our educational mission and applying it directly to benefit the national endeavor in space.”

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Seminar: Challenges and Opportunities in Space Development - Oct. 20

Anonymous — Mon, 17 Oct 2022 17:17:09 +0000

Seminar: Challenges and Opportunities in Space Development - Oct. 20 Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 10/17/2022 - 11:17

Marcus Holzinger
Associate Professor, Smead Aerospace
Thursday, Oct. 20 | 3:00 P.M. | AERO 111

Abstract: The annual space economy is currently $400B, and is expected to grow to $1.2-3T over the next 15-20 years. With this substantial increase in economic activity in space, new challenges and opportunities in Space Development are presenting themselves.

The need to detect, track, and characterize ever-smaller and -distant spacecraft is challenging our current Space Domain Awareness and Space Traffic Management capabilities. Growth and resurgence in human and uncrewed space flight near the Moon pose difficult theoretical, computational, and operational challenges in observation association and maintaining object catalogues.

This talk addresses both of these technical challenges, and reviews a sampling of research, teaching, and service in Prof. Holzinger's lab that enable Space Development.

Bio: Prof. Holzinger is an Associate Professor, Endowed Joseph T. Negler Professor, and Associate Director of the Colorado Center for Astrodynamics Research (CCAR) in the Smead Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department at the �ֲ��ý Boulder.

His research focuses on theoretical and empirical aspects of space development, strategy, and domain awareness, for which he has testified to congress, authored or co-authored over 135 conference & journal papers, and built several Raven-class telescope systems.

He served as the lead author for AFRL’s ‘A Primer on Cislunar Space’ white paper, is a recipient of an AFOSR Young Investigator Award and the National Academies Grainger Award, and is a National Academies selectee for the US Frontiers of Engineering Symposium. Prof. Holzinger is a Fellow in the American Astronautical Society (AAS) and an Associate Fellow in the American Institute for Aeronautics & Astronautics (AIAA).

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CU Boulder lands $5.5 million Air Force project to advance orbital and AI research

Anonymous — Tue, 23 Aug 2022 15:01:46 +0000

CU Boulder lands $5.5 million Air Force project to advance orbital and AI research Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 08/23/2022 - 09:01

Jeff Zehnder

The waning gibbous Moon above the Earth's horizon over the Atlantic Ocean.

A team of �ֲ��ý Boulder researchers is embarking on a major research project that will advance our understanding of orbital mechanics and monitoring, artificial intelligence, and hypersonics.

Led by Marcus Holzinger, an associate professor in the Ann and H.J. Smead Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences, the group has signed a $5.54 million, five-year cooperative agreement with the Air Force Research Laboratory to advance science and monitoring for next generation of space vehicles – particularly those that will travel beyond low Earth orbit to the Moon.

“These are really complex multi-domain applications in the defense world and we’re bringing together preeminent researchers to tackle these problems,” Holzinger said. “There’s a real opportunity to make important advances.”

The cooperative agreement represents a significant expansion of the relationship between Smead Aerospace and the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Space Vehicles Directorate. Holzinger said the project will include ongoing collaboration and could evolve and change as the research develops.

“The region in, around, and affected by the Earth-Moon-Sun system has drastically increased in commercial activity and Department of Defense mission relevance over the last few years,” Holzinger said. “There are more and more missions going to the Moon – not just our missions but India, China, and Europe as well. That means there needs to be some sensible tracking and detection of what’s going on out there and this project addresses that crucial need directly.”

Holzinger said this area, called space domain awareness, is important for national defense and to ensure spaceflight safety and responsible behavior. Currently, the Air Force maintains tracking networks to actively catalog space vehicles to avoid collisions. However, these systems only work for spacecraft orbiting the Earth, not the Moon, and growing traffic in orbit around Earth has made collision avoidance increasingly complicated.

NASA Orbital Debris Program illustration of satellites and space debris in low Earth orbit.

To address this, the team will work to develop a framework for spacecraft to make autonomous maneuvering decisions without human input by using artificial intelligence both for collision avoidance and to execute complex tasks, said Morteza Lahijanian, an assistant professor in Smead Aerospace and a member of the project team.

“This research will teach us how to go about designing safe autonomy for complex systems, especially in a setting where multiple space vehicles need to cooperate,” said Lahijanian. “This research can lead to designing fully autonomous spacecraft that we can trust, and would eliminate the role of humans who are typically the source of errors in the design or execution of missions.”

The work also aims to better understand the unique orbital dynamics surrounding the Moon to help future researchers and commercial projects, said Holzinger.

“We’re really interested in what sorts of repeating natural orbits are best for various applications and what are the best ways to get to and from those orbits,” Holzinger said. “We want to develop design tools so mission engineers can more easily answer these questions. Right now there are not enough experts that can do that work to meet the need.”

A third goal for the cooperative agreement aims to advance the science of hypersonic vehicles. Hypersonics is an active area of research around the world for national defense purposes.

During hypersonic flight, a vehicle and the gasses surrounding it can reach thousands of degrees, triggering chemical reactions. The team hopes to develop and validate models that will ensure hypersonic vehicle signatures, heat flux, and materials response can be predicted with minimal uncertainty.

In addition to Holzinger and Lahijanian, additional CU Boulder faculty partners include professors Natasha Bosanac, Tim Minton, Hanspeter Schaub, and Dan Scheeres.

A team of �ֲ��ý Boulder researchers is embarking on a major research project that will advance our understanding of orbital mechanics and monitoring, artificial intelligence, and hypersonics. Led by Marcus Holzinger, an...

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New effort to bolster Colorado’s national security and aerospace workforce

Anonymous — Fri, 10 Sep 2021 16:51:07 +0000

New effort to bolster Colorado’s national security and aerospace workforce Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 09/10/2021 - 10:51

The �ֲ��ý Boulder has received a $2 million gift from The Anschutz Foundation to support the university’s diverse research in aerospace and national defense—from tracking and protecting satellites in orbit to improving the security of mobile devices.

The effort dovetails with a new research partnership between the CU system and the U.S. Space Force that was announced Aug. 20.

The recent award and research partnership will bolster the efforts of CU Boulder’s Center for National Security Initiatives (NSI). Launched in 2019, NSI brings together the work of more than 40 faculty members in engineering, computer science, physics and more, with a focus on keeping people safe in an increasingly connected world.

“For generations, CU Boulder’s researchers and alumni have led the way in humanity’s exploration of the solar system,” said CU Boulder Chancellor Philip DiStefano. “Their research in aerospace has also led to technologies that improve the lives of people right here on Earth. The Anschutz Foundation gift, coupled with the new U.S. Space Force partnership, allows us to continue inspiring new scientists and engineers to solve real-world problems.”

The commitments showcase the state of Colorado’s growing role as a national leader in defense and space exploration, said Christian Anschutz, president of The Anschutz Foundation. The state boasts the largest aerospace industry in the country on a per capita basis.

“Businesses across Colorado face an urgent need for trained professionals to design and operate the spacecraft of the future, develop new autonomous vehicles and protect us from the threat of cyberattacks,” said Anschutz, who earned his bachelor’s degree in history from CU Boulder in 2000. “We’re working with CU Boulder to train the next generation of leaders who will build on the state’s legacy as a center of innovation.”

Iain Boyd, director of NSI, noted that the gift underscores how universities can help the United States address new challenges, such as safeguarding the more than 3,000 satellites in orbit from cyberattacks. People depend on these spacecraft for communications, navigation and more.

“Advanced technology continues to play an increased role in national security, and the pace of advancement is ever-increasing,” said Boyd, a professor in the Ann and H.J. Smead Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences. “NSI seeks to create new opportunities by evolving existing, fundamental research capabilities at CU and applying them to the challenges of national security.”

Future leaders

Boyd added that the gift will help CU Boulder recruit new research associates who will add depth and breadth to the campus’s research capabilities. Currently, the state’s aerospace sector employs about 33,000 people spread across 300 companies, most of which are small businesses. According to Boyd, that number is only going to grow.

“The expansion of research opportunities in the national security domain enabled by The Anschutz Foundation gift will directly result in the graduation of a growing number of students with critical expertise needed by the aerospace and defense sector in Colorado and across the nation,” he said.

NSI researchers have already made important contributions in developing new technologies that will improve the lives of people everywhere. Researchers at CU Boulder, for example, have led efforts to design fleets of autonomous vehicles that monitor tornadoes and may one day conduct search and rescue operations deep underground.

Marcus Holzinger, associate professor in the Ann and HJ Smead Aerospace Engineering Sciences department, recently spoke to the U.S. Senate about efforts to track the locations of orbiting satellites—and prevent them from colliding in space. And Boyd leads a $15 million NASA research effort to study hypersonic entry vehicles that enable exploration of planets and moons.

The NSI team is focused on recruiting research associates and training students in a variety of fields including hypersonics, autonomous systems, space domain awareness, positioning-navigation-and-timing, cybersecurity, radio-frequency engineering and geospatial data analytics.

“The expansion of NSI activities through the hiring of research associates will significantly broaden the research and educational opportunities available to our students while expanding our research impact and enabling increased partnerships with the aerospace sector,” Boyd said.

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Holzinger speaks to U.S. Senate on space situational awareness

Anonymous — Thu, 22 Jul 2021 17:52:36 +0000

Holzinger speaks to U.S. Senate on space situational awareness Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 07/22/2021 - 11:52

Jeff Zehnder

“Exponential commercial utilization of space is simultaneously inspiring and terrifying.”

Marcus Holzinger has addressed the U.S. Congress on space situational awareness and space traffic management.

It is a subject with increasing importance as more nations and commercial businesses launch satellites into orbit around our planet.

Holzinger, an associate professor in the Ann and H.J. Smead Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences and a Smead Faculty Fellow testified Thursday before the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Space and Science.

The hearing, titled “Space Situational Awareness, Space Traffic Management, and Orbital Debris: Examining Solutions for Emerging Threats”, was a chance for senators to hear from experts in space domain awareness.

Holzinger's research focuses on theoretical and empirical aspects of space domain awareness. He is the author or co-author over 100 conference and journal papers.

“Our present situation is much like being in heavy traffic without a sense of right of way,” Holzinger said. “We stand at a thrilling precipice. Ahead there are countless opportunities near the Earth, Moon, and beyond that promise economic prosperity, innovation, and rules based international leadership.”

Much of Holzinger’s comments focused on the importance of U.S. leadership in developing “rules of the road” for use of orbital space to avoid collisions and overly cluttered orbits that become difficult to navigate.

“Fundamentally it is a national interest for us to lead this effort and to gain as much consensus amongst the international constituency as possible,” he said.

The hearing, held in Washington D.C., was also broadcast live online. An archived webcast is available on the subcommittee website.

Five speakers, including Holzinger, addressed the committee. Other witnesses included Karina Drees, President of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation, Kevin O’Connell, Founder and CEO of Space Economy Rising LLC, Paul Graziani, Chief Executive Officer of COMSPOC Corp, and Tom Stroup, President of the Satellite Industry Association.

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Holzinger to address U.S. Senate subcommittee on space situational awareness

Anonymous — Thu, 15 Jul 2021 22:59:29 +0000

Holzinger to address U.S. Senate subcommittee on space situational awareness Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 07/15/2021 - 16:59

Update: The Hearing was held Thursday.
Read Professor Holzinger's testimony.

Marcus Holzinger, a Smead Faculty Fellow and associate professor in the Ann and H.J. Smead Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences, is set to speak to the United States Senate.

Holzinger will address the Subcommittee on Space and Science on Thursday, July 22, 2021.

The hearing is set to begin at 8:00 a.m. MDT and will focus on Space Situational Awareness, Space Traffic Management, and Orbital Debris.

Holzinger's research focuses on theoretical and empirical aspects of space domain awareness. He is the author or co-author over 100 conference and journal papers.

As nation-states and commercial businesses launch more satellites into orbit, tracking and management of orbital debris and derelict satellites has become an area of important concern for corporations and national security.

Four speakers, including Holzinger will address the committee. Other witnesses include Karina Drees, President of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation, Kevin O’Connell, Founder and CEO of Space Economy Rising LLC, and Paul Graziani, Chief Executive Officer of COMSPOC Corp.

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Marcus Holzinger News

Holzinger interviewed by PBS News Hour on space junk

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Holzinger speaks to U.S. Senate on space situational awareness

Holzinger to address U.S. Senate subcommittee on space situational awareness