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About

Kenneth M. Getzandanner is a key figure in deep-space navigation and flight dynamics, primarily known for his work on NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission. His research centers on autonomous spacecraft guidance, relative terrain imaging, and trajectory design for asteroid exploration. Getzandanner’s most cited work, the 2018 paper “OSIRIS-REx Flight Dynamics and Navigation Design” (88 citations), details the complex navigation strategies that enabled the spacecraft to rendezvous with and sample the near-Earth asteroid Bennu—a historic first for NASA. He also contributed to the Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission (ARRM), developing the Relative Terrain Imaging Navigation (RETINA) tool, which was designed to autonomously guide a spacecraft to collect a boulder from an asteroid and deliver it to lunar orbit. This work showcases his expertise in real-time onboard navigation for challenging deep-space environments. Getzandanner’s contributions are critical to advancing autonomous exploration of small bodies, and his publications are essential references for engineers and researchers working on planetary defense, asteroid mining, and next-generation robotic missions.