Welcome to the Space Systems Optimization Group (Ho Research Group) at Georgia Tech!
The research in the Space Systems Optimization Group, directed by Prof. Koki Ho, is in the areas of space systems and space logistics. Our research tackles complex space system design and mission analysis problems by developing new mathematical methods based on optimization and probabilistic modeling. Our contribution adds a new dimension of system-level modeling/optimization to the traditional space systems and astrodynamics research, with a goal to reduce the cost, time, and effort needed for the space mission design practice. The applications we explore include, but are not limited to, (i) human space exploration campaigns, (ii) in-space servicing, assembly, and manufacturing (ISAM), and (iii) mega-scale satellite constellations.
Some of the papers that represent our work include:
- N. Gollins and K. Ho, “Hierarchical Space Exploration Campaign Schedule Optimization,” Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets (Accepted). (Open Access).
- Y. Shimane, N. Gollins, and K. Ho, “Orbital Facility Location Problem for Satellite Constellation Servicing Depots,” Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, Vol. 61, No. 3, pp. 808-825, 2024. Open Access
- H. Chen, M. Ornik, and K. Ho, “Space Exploration Architecture and Design Framework for Commercialization,” Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, Vol. 59, No. 2, pp. 538-551, 2022. Full-Text Preprint
- Y. Takubo, H. Chen, and K. Ho, “Hierarchical Reinforcement Learning Framework for Stochastic Spaceflight Campaign Design,” Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, Vol. 59, No.2, pp. 421-433, 2022. Full-Text Preprint
- T. Sarton du Jonchay, H. Chen, O. Gunasekara, and K. Ho “Framework for Modeling and Optimization of On-Orbit Servicing Operations under Demand Uncertainties,” Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, Vol. 58. No. 4, pp. 1157-1173, 2021. Full-Text Preprint
- H. Lee, S. Shimizu, S. Yoshikawa, K. Ho, “Satellite Constellation Pattern Optimization for Complex Regional Coverage,” Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, Vo. 57, No. 6, pp. 1309-1327, 2020. Full-Text Preprint
- K. Ho, H. Wang, P. DeTrempe, T. Sarton du Jonchay, and K. Tomita, “Semi-Analytical Model for Design and Analysis of On-Orbit Servicing Architecture,” Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, Vol. 57, No. 6, pp. 1129-1138, 2020. Full-Text Preprint
- B. Jagannatha and K. Ho, “Event-Driven Network Model for Space Mission Optimization with High-Thrust and Low-Thrust Spacecraft,” Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, Vol 57., No. 3, pp. 446-463, 2020. Full-Text Preprint
- P. Jakob, S. Shimizu, S. Yoshikawa, and K. Ho, “Optimal Satellite Constellation Spare Strategy Using Multi-Echelon Inventory Control with Stochastic Demand and Lead Times,” Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, Vol. 56, No. 5, pp. 1449-1461, 2019. Full-Text Preprint
- H. Chen and K. Ho, “Integrated Space Logistics Mission Planning and Spacecraft Design with Mixed-Integer Nonlinear Programming,” Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, Vol. 55, No. 2, pp. 365-381, 2018. Full-Text Preprint
Director: Prof. Koki Ho
- Dutton-Ducoffe Professor, Georgia Institute of Technology, Sep. 2022 – Present.
- Associate Professor, Georgia Institute of Technology, Aug. 2022 – Present.
- Assistant Professor, Georgia Institute of Technology, Aug. 2019 – Aug. 2022.
- Assistant Professor, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Jan. 2016 – Aug. 2019.
- Research Assistant Professor, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Sep. 2015 – Dec. 2015.
- Visiting Researcher, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Sep. 2015 – Dec. 2015.
Education
- Ph.D., Aeronautics and Astronautics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2015.
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- Thesis: Dynamic Network Modeling for Spaceflight Logistics with Time-Expanded Networks (Advisor: Prof. Olivier de Weck).
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- M.Eng., Aeronautics and Astronautics, University of Tokyo, 2011.
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- Thesis: Development of Star Sensor for Nano-satellites and Its Identification Performance Improvement (Advisor: Prof. Shinichi Nakasuka)
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- B.Eng., Aeronautics and Astronautics, University of Tokyo, 2009.
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- Thesis: Optimization for the Communication Network of a Micro-Satellite Cluster by Multilayer Hierarchy (Advisor: Prof. Shinichi Nakasuka)
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Select Honors
- 2020 NSF CAREER Award
- 2019 DARPA Young Faculty Award
- 2019 NASA Early Career Faculty Award
- 2015 Luigi Napolitano Award
News
August 2024: Prof. Ho and his colleague wrote an article on The Conversation: “Space Missions are Getting More Complex − Lessons from Amazon and FedEx can Inform Satellite and Spacecraft Management in Orbit,”
August 2024: Kento Tomita successfully defended his Ph.D. dissertation! Congratulations!
January – May 2024: Prof. Ho launched a new course on space logistics, which is the first of its kind in the academic curriculum. See more details at: https://ssog.ae.gatech.edu/space-logistics-course/
November 2023: Prof. Ho is selected to serve as a Steering Committee Member of the NASA-funded nationwide consortium on space logistics: COnsortium for Space Mobility and ISAM Capabilities (COSMIC)
September 2023: Prof. Ho leads a $5M ($3M base + $2M option) multi-university team to focus on space logistics and mobility through the AFRL/AFOSR Space University Research Initiative (SURI) program: Advancing Technologies for Logistics Architecture in Space (ATLAS). Related article: https://aerospace.gatech.edu/news/2023/09/changing-game-space-logistics-and-space-servicing; Project website: https://sites.gatech.edu/spacelogisticsmobility
April 2023: Julia Tepper successfully defended her master’s thesis! Congratulations!
April 2023: Andrew Maxwell successfully defended his Ph.D. dissertation! Congratulations!
April 2023: Logan Feld is selected for NASA’s Space Technology Graduate Research Opportunities (NSTGRO) Fellowship! Congratulations!
November 2022: Tristan Sarton du Jonchay successfully defended his Ph.D. dissertation! Congratulations!
July 2022: Hang Woon Lee successfully defended his Ph.D. dissertation! Hang Woon will join West Virginia University as an Assistant Professor in August! Congratulations!
December 2021: Prof. Ho is on one of the two winning teams under the AFRL/AFOSR Space University Research Initiative: Space Object Understanding and Reconnaissance of Complex Events (SOURCE), PI: Prof. John Crassidis at SUNY Buffalo.
August 2021: Former Ph.D. Student, Hao Chen joined the Stevens Institute of Technology as an Assistant Professor! Congratulations!
August 2021: Former research assistant, Ryne Beeson, joined Princeton University as an Assistant Professor! Congratulations!
April 2021: Hao Chen successfully defended his Ph.D. dissertation! He is the second Ph.D. from our group and the first since we moved to Georgia Tech! Congratulations!
January 2021: Former PostDoc, Kathrine Skinner, joined the University of Michigan as an Assistant Professor! Congratulations!
July 2020: Ph.D. Student, Hang Woon Lee, received the AAS John V. Breakwell Student Travel Award! Congratulations!
June 2020: Ph.D. Student, Hang Woon Lee, received the AAS Molly K. Macauley Award! Congratulations!
May 2020: Prof. Ho and his colleagues’ research is featured in the magazine of the Georgia Tech College of Engineering – We Are Engineers!
February 2020: Our recent research proposal was selected for the NSF CAREER Award!
October 2019: Ph.D. Student, Hao Chen, received the Luigi G. Napolitano Award at the International Astronautical Congress! Congratulations!
September 2019: Our recent research proposal was selected for the NASA Early Career Faculty Award!
July 2019: Our recent research proposal was selected for the DARPA Young Faculty Award!
Summer 2019: Prof. Ho accepted an offer from Georgia Tech and moved the group to from Univ. of Illinois to Georgia Tech!
July 2019: A research publication by former graduate students Pauline Jakob aiming to model and optimize the spare strategy of large-scale satellite constellation in collaboration with Mitsubishi Electric Corporation is featured on AE Department News.
November 2018: Bindu Jagannatha successfully defended her Ph.D. dissertation! She is the first Ph.D. from our group! Congratulations!
November 2018: A joint publication led by the United Launch Alliance on Commercial Lunar Propellant Architecture is published. Prof. Ho is one of the co-authors. The publication can be found here.
June 2018: A research publication by graduate students Hang Woon Lee and Pauline Jakob aiming to optimize the deployment strategy of large-scale satellite constellation in collaboration with Mitsubishi Electric Corporation is featured on AE Department News.
May 2018: Prof. Ho is selected for a NASA award to perform trade studies on in-situ resource utilization for human space exploration via NASA NextSTEP program.
April 2018: Graduate student Hao Chen receives MAVIS Memorial Fund Scholarship Award; featured on AE Department News.
April 2018: Graduate student Hang Woon Lee receives NSF Graduate Fellowship; featured on AE Department News.
April 2018: Research publications by graduate students Bindu Jagannatha and Hao Chen aiming to optimize campaign-level space mission design are featured on AE Department News.
December 2017: Prof. Ho starts a research project with Space Systems Loral on logistics design for the Gateway concept via NASA NextSTEP program.
September 2017: Prof. Ho is selected for a NASA award to perform economic analysis for space development funded by NASA Emerging Space Office; project starts in January 2018.
July 2017: Prof. Ho starts a research project on “lego-like” on-orbit platform design with CU Aerospace funded by DARPA Tactical Technology Office through SBIR program Phase II; featured on AE Department News.
August 2016: Prof. Ho starts a research project on transportation network design optimization for cis-lunar space economy in collaboration with United Launch Alliance.
August 2016: Prof. Ho starts a research project on large-scale satellite constellation design in low-Earth orbits in collaboration with Mitsubishi Electric Corporation.
July 2016: Prof. Ho starts a research project on “lego-like” on-orbit platform design with CU Aerospace funded by DARPA Tactical Technology Office through SBIR program Phase I.