Third Consecutive Award Reflects Research Caliber of Aerospace Engineering Department and FALCON Program
Khalifa University鈥檚 Intelligent and Autonomous Aerospace Systems Group has won the Outstanding Research Paper Award in the Space Situational Awareness session at the Space Research Conference (SRC) 2024. This first-of-its-kind event was organized by the UAE Space Agency in Abu Dhabi as part of the World Space Week activities.听
The award-winning paper titled 鈥楬ybrid Sensor Networks: Space Debris Tracking through Intelligent Distributed Space Systems and Ground-Based Observations鈥� tackles the critical issue of orbital congestion caused by Resident Space Objects (RSOs).听 The research team working on this project is led by Professor Roberto Sabatini and includes PhD student Khaja Faisal Hussain, Dr. Kathiravan Thangavel, Dr. Noureldin Safwat, and Assistant Professor Alessandro Gardi, form the Department of Aerospace Engineering. The award-winning paper will be featured on the UAE Space Agency’s Space Research Platform.听听
The Intelligent and Autonomous Aerospace Systems Group is a key component of Khalifa University鈥檚 Flight Systems Research and Training (FALCON) Program, which addresses key contemporary challenges in sustainable flight systems design and operations, including advanced air mobility, high-speed and suborbital transport, and the integration of ground and space-based Communication, Navigation and Surveillance (CNS) infrastructure. It is led by Prof. Sabatini, who also serves as at the .听听
The paper introduces an innovative multi-sensor data fusion strategy that combines intelligent Distributed Space Systems (iDSS) with ground-based sensor capabilities to achieve real-time tracking of space debris, significantly enhancing Space Situational Awareness (SSA) and promoting safer, more sustainable orbital and suborbital flight.听
Prof. Roberto Sabatini said: 鈥淩eceiving three awards in a two-week timespan was amazing and the team deserves to be commended for this incredible series of achievements. After receiving two awards in the US at the AIAA/IEEE Digital Avionics Systems Conference both in the Digital Flight and Space Systems sessions, this additional recognition at the UAE Space Research Conference underscores the importance of aligning our research with the aerospace sector鈥檚 national and international priorities.鈥澨�
In addition to their award-winning research, the Group made significant contributions to two other conference tracks: Satellite Communication (SatCom) and Earth Observation. In the SatCom track, they presented a paper titled 鈥楻obust Communication in Remote Regions: An Integrated Satellite-HAPS-5G Architecture for Traffic Routing in Adverse Weather Conditions.鈥� This research aims to provide robust communication solutions in remote and underserved regions, especially during adverse weather conditions, by developing dynamic traffic routing algorithms that adapt to environmental changes.听
In the Earth Observation track, the team presented 鈥楧istributed Satellite Systems for Enhanced Earth Observation: Applications in Climate Change Monitoring and Disaster Management.鈥� This paper 星空传媒 the use of Distributed Satellite Systems (DSatS) to tackle global challenges like climate change and natural disasters. The research underscores the role of DSatS in providing high-resolution, timely data for proactive disaster management and climate change analysis, contributing to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).听
A flagship project within the FALCON program is the development of a Multi-Domain Traffic Management (MDTM) framework, conducted in collaboration with leading industry and government partners. This project aims to ensure the safety, efficiency, and sustainability of integrated air and space transport operations, paving the way for a more connected, efficient, and environmentally responsible future in the aerospace sector and beyond.
By addressing the challenges of modern air and space transport, the program contributes to the advancement of the UAE’s aerospace industry and sets a global benchmark for sustainable innovation in flight systems design and operations.听
Alisha Roy听
Science Writer
