Anton de Ruiter

About

Anton de Ruiter is a prominent researcher specializing in space robotics, autonomous systems, and attitude estimation, whose work addresses some of the most pressing challenges in on-orbit servicing and space exploration. His research spans robotic manipulation in space, multi-robot coordination, and mathematical foundations of rigid-body orientation estimation. De Ruiter has made significant contributions to the field of on-orbit servicing, particularly in tackling the complex problem of capturing and detumbling non-cooperative spacecraft — uncontrolled satellites with unknown inertial properties. His 2019 paper on this topic has garnered 37 citations, while subsequent work on dual-arm space manipulator coordination and robust detumbling control further demonstrates his sustained focus on making autonomous in-space operations safe and reliable. His research into full-coverage inspection of large space structures, including kinodynamic path planning, reflects a forward-looking vision for autonomous space infrastructure maintenance. On the theoretical side, de Ruiter's rigorous treatment of Wahba's problem on SO(n) and his development of SO(n)-constrained Kalman filtering have provided the aerospace and robotics communities with mathematically grounded tools for attitude estimation. Collectively, his body of work reflects a researcher bridging elegant theory with practical robotic solutions for humanity's expanding presence in space.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   Detumbling of a non-cooperative target with unknown inertial parameters using a space robot

   37 citations · 2019
2. 2
   Multiple spacecraft coordination and motion planning for full-coverage inspection of large complex space structures

   27 citations · 2022
3. 3
   Dual arm coordination of redundant space manipulators mounted on a spacecraft

   27 citations · 2023
4. 4
   Kinodynamic on-orbit inspection path planning for full-coverage inspection in close proximity of space structures

   17 citations · 2022
5. 5
   Passivity based nonlinear model predictive control (PNMPC) of multi-robot systems for space applications

   17 citations · 2023
6. 6
   On the Solution ofWahba’s Problem on S O (n)

   17 citations · 2013
7. 7
   Discrete-Time SO(n)-Constrained Kalman Filtering

   15 citations · 2016
8. 8
   Robust coordination control of a space manipulator to detumble a non-cooperative target

   12 citations · 2020
9. 9
   Nonlinear Model Predictive Control of Rover Robotics System

   11 citations · 2023
10. 10
    On the Solution of Wahba's Problem on SO(n)

    6 citations · 2014

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links