Stephanie Thomas

Princeton Satellite Systems (United States), Hun School of Princeton

Papers

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About

Stephanie Thomas is a pioneering researcher in spacecraft robotics and control systems, with a particular focus on enabling autonomous maintenance and proximity operations in space. Her most influential work introduces Control-Moment Gyroscopes (CMGs) for joint actuation in free-flying maintenance robots, proposing a new paradigm for inspecting and repairing manned spacecraft from the exterior—a concept that has garnered 30 citations and laid foundational groundwork for future orbital servicing missions. She also advanced the application of A* path planning algorithms to generalized 3D spacecraft proximity operations, demonstrating obstacle avoidance and circumnavigation capabilities (12 citations). Thomas contributed a comprehensive chapter on spacecraft attitude control, covering three-axis pointing systems essential for both robotic and crewed missions. Beyond her research papers, she co-authored the practical reference *MATLAB Recipes: A Problem-Solution Approach*, which equips engineers with state-of-the-art coding examples in robotics, detection filters, and aerospace applications. Her work bridges theoretical control methods with real-world engineering tools, making her a valuable resource for students and researchers seeking to understand and implement autonomous spacecraft technologies.