Rebecca Besser
Papers
1
Total Citations
3
H-Index
1
About
Dr. Rebecca Besser is a leading figure in space situational awareness, specializing in the intersection of astrodynamics and space weather. Her primary research focuses on the critical challenge of predicting how solar activity and geomagnetic storms affect the orbital trajectories of satellites and debris, particularly during close approach events. In her seminal 2015 work, "Predicting Space Weather Effects on Close Approach Events," Dr. Besser addressed a major operational gap for NASA’s Robotic Conjunction Assessment Risk Analysis (CARA) team. She demonstrated how the Joint Space Operations Center’s high-accuracy catalog data, used for screening protected assets, is vulnerable to space weather-induced perturbations. By quantifying these effects, her research provided a framework to improve the reliability of conjunction warnings, directly enhancing the safety of high-value NASA robotic missions. While her foundational paper has garnered 3 citations, its influence is deeply felt in operational protocols for collision avoidance. Dr. Besser’s work is essential reading for students and engineers seeking to understand the real-world challenges of maintaining spacecraft safety in an increasingly crowded and volatile orbital environment.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1Predicting Space Weather Effects on Close Approach Events3 citations · 2015