Flavio Petricca

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About

Flavio Petricca is a researcher specializing in deep-space navigation, autonomous spacecraft systems, and sensor fusion technologies for planetary exploration. His work addresses some of the most demanding challenges in modern space science: enabling precise, reliable navigation far beyond Earth's immediate reach. Petricca's most influential contribution, "Deep-Space Navigation with Intersatellite Radio Tracking" (2021, 12 citations), challenges the decades-long paradigm of ground-based-only spacecraft navigation by exploring how intersatellite radio links could transform interplanetary mission autonomy and accuracy. This forward-thinking approach opens new possibilities for missions operating in communication-delayed environments. Complementing this, his research on rover localization using 3D-to-2D and 3D-to-3D visual odometry (2021, 4 citations) advances the autonomy of planetary surface robots, reducing dependence on Earth-based ground operations. His more recent work on sensor data fusion for precise orbit determination (2024, 2 citations) tackles critical navigation challenges during high-risk mission phases, including orbital insertion, descent, and rendezvous maneuvers. Across his portfolio, Petricca consistently pushes the boundaries of onboard intelligence for space systems, making him a notable emerging voice in the field of autonomous deep-space exploration and robotic navigation.