Jekan Thanga

Biography

Jekan Thanga heads the Space and Terrestrial Robotic Exploration (SpaceTREx) Laboratory and the NASA-supported ASTEROIDS (Asteroid Science, Technology and Exploration Research Organized by Inclusive eDucation Systems) Laboratory. Jekan has a background in aerospace engineering from the University of Toronto. He worked on Canadarm, Canadarm 2 and the DARPA Orbital Express missions at MDA Space Missions. Jekan obtained his Ph.D. in space robotics at the University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies (UTIAS) and did a postdoc at MIT's Field and Space Robotics Laboratory (FSRL).

Jekan is broadly interested in the exploration and utilization of Space, using:

• CubeSats and Small Spacecrafts
• Swarms/Networks/Constellations of Robots
• Field Sensor Networks

His research covers the investigation of fundamental theoretical concepts with simulation using computational tools, culminating with field trials and deployment.  His research focuses on developing system design and control technologies, that enables:

• Machine Learning, AI and Autonomous Control
• Science Instrumentation for Exploration
• Power
• Propulsion
• Communications
• Smart Structures and Deployables

He also teams up with other researchers to apply the latest in space technology to terresterial applications including:

• Construction and 3D Printing
• Security
• Energy Exploration
• Environmental monitoring

His team uses multidisciplinary optimization using a combination of conventional, adaptive and machine learning methods resulting in high performance, unconventional design and control solutions that would otherwise not be envisioned by a human designer.

He has authored or co-authored nearly 150 technical publications and is currently the Engineering PI on two CubeSat missions, the US Air Force funded SWIMSat Mission and AOSAT 1, a CubeSat Centrifuge Laboratory. Jekan and his students won a Popular Mechanics Breakthrough Award in 2016 and a Tech Briefs Top 5 Award in the Aerospace/Defense category for the SunCube FemtoSat platform.

Awards

• Best Student Paper Award (Finalist)
• ASCE - Earth and Space Conference, Winter 2021 (Award Finalist)
• Best Interactive Presentation - 3rd Place (Space Development)
• International Astronautic Federation, Fall 2021
• Best Student Paper Award (Finalist) for Sandbag Systems Engineering
• ASCE - Earth and Space Conference, Fall 2021 (Award Finalist)
• NASA RASCAL Finalist (Team U. Arizona)
• NIAA, Summer 2021 (Award Finalist)
• NASA RASCAL Winner (UPRM)
• NIAA, Summer 2021
• NASA BIG - Finalist Collaboration Award
• NIAA, Spring 2021
• NASA Big Team - Top 10 National Finalist and winner of Collaboration Award
• NASA Big Competition Judges, Spring 2020
• Outstanding Aerospace Graduate Student, Ravi Nallapu
• AME Graduate Committee, Fall 2019
• Outstanding Aerospace Undergrad Student, Jesse Samitas
• AME Undergrad Committee, Fall 2019
• Subject Matter Expert (SME) Fellowship, AI and Counter Cyber for Autonomous Unmanned Collective Control by US Special Forces
• SOFWERX (US Special Forces Research Arm), Fall 2019
• ASEE Teaching Award
• College of Engineering, Spring 2019
• Best Paper Presentation Award
• Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance Technologies Conference Technical Committee, Spring 2019
• Best Student Paper and Presentation Award (3rd Place)
• AAS GNC Technical Committee, Spring 2019
• Best Student Paper and Presentation Award (3rd place)
• AAS Guidance, Navigation and Control Conference, 2019, Winter 2018
• MBR Mars Settlement Challenge
• Dubai Future Foundation (Guaana), Spring 2018
• HeroX (X-Prize Spin-off) CubeSat Challenge Winner
• HeroX/ US Military/ NASA, Fall 2017
• Tech Briefs Design the Future 2017, Top 5 in Aerospace/Defense
• Tech Briefs Magazine, Fall 2017 (Award Finalist)
• Frank J. Redd Small Satellite Student Competition Winner (3rd Place)
• AIAA/USU Small Satellite Conference, Summer 2017
• Advisor for Garrett Fleetwood, winner of Outstanding Honors Thesis, 2017
• Arizona State University School of Energy Matter and Transport Engineering (SEMTE), Spring 2017
• Co-author, Best Student Paper and Presentation Award (2nd place) at the 40th AAS Guidance, Navigation and Control Conference, 2017
• AAS GNC Student Paper Committee, Spring 2017
• Top Achievements of the Year - Arizona State University 2016 Year in Review
• Arizona State University, Spring 2017
• Popular Mechanics Breakthrough Award
• Popular Mechanics Magazine, Fall 2016