Emily Kuck

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About

Emily Kuck is a leading researcher in space robotics and control-structural interaction, with a focus on the unique challenges of operating lightweight, flexible robots in space. Her work addresses a critical problem: space robots, designed to be extremely light, suffer from low structural stiffness, causing natural resonance frequencies that fall within the bandwidth of attitude controllers. This creates significant control-structural coupling, risking instability. Kuck’s key contribution is the development of trajectory shaping techniques to ameliorate sensor noise and mitigate these destabilizing vibrations. Her most-cited paper, “Space Robot Sensor Noise Amelioration Using Trajectory Shaping” (2024, 18 citations), demonstrates how carefully designed input trajectories can drive controllers to suppress resonance without adding mass. This work is foundational for enabling precise manipulation in orbit, from satellite servicing to debris removal. Though early in her career, Kuck’s innovative approach to a long-standing problem has already garnered attention, positioning her as a rising expert in the intersection of robotics, dynamics, and control for space applications.