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About

Duncan Miller is a visionary aerospace engineer whose research focuses on autonomous robotic systems for in-space servicing, assembly, and manufacturing (ISAM), as well as pioneering architectures for human Mars settlement. His most-cited work, "Reconfigurable ground and flight testing facility for robotic servicing, capture, and assembly" (2016, 12 citations), has provided a foundational testbed for validating the complex proximity operations and robotic capture techniques essential for future multi-satellite missions. This facility enables engineers to simulate and refine the autonomous behaviors needed to service aging satellites or construct large orbital structures, directly supporting the growing reliance on on-orbit robotics. More recently, Miller co-authored "Pale Red Dot: a Large, Robust Architecture for Human Settlements on Mars" (2023, 5 citations), which outlines an ambitious ten-year campaign to establish an Earth-independent Martian outpost. By integrating Artemis program lunar missions with robotic precursor surveys, this work presents a practical, phased roadmap for sustainable human exploration. Miller’s contributions bridge critical gaps between ground-based validation and deep-space mission design, making him a key voice in the future of autonomous space operations and planetary colonization.