Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

Lauri K. Newman is a pioneering figure in space situational awareness, whose work has fundamentally shaped how NASA protects its robotic spacecraft from orbital collisions. Her primary research areas encompass conjunction assessment, collision risk analysis, and operational space traffic management. Newman’s most significant contribution is her leadership in developing and implementing NASA’s Robotic Conjunction Assessment Process, detailed in her highly cited 2009 paper (32 citations), which established the foundational framework for evaluating collision threats to robotic missions. She introduced the innovative F-Value metric (8 citations), a single, integrated risk assessment figure that synthesizes miss distance, probability of collision, and orbit determination quality—streamlining complex decision-making for flight safety teams. Newman also played a critical role in evolving NASA’s operational concept of operations (10 citations), ensuring timely data exchange and informed decision-making in high-stakes environments. Her work directly addressed the “big sky theory” fallacy, notably after the 2009 Iridium-Cosmos collision, demonstrating the urgent need for rigorous close approach prediction (7 citations). With over 60 total citations, Newman’s research remains essential reading for anyone studying space debris mitigation, orbital safety, and the operational realities of protecting valuable space assets in an increasingly congested orbital environment.