Sean Dougherty

Digital Research Alliance of Canada, Maxar Technologies (United States)

Papers

Total Citations

139

H-Index

About

Sean Dougherty is a leading figure in space robotics, with a career focused on advancing on-orbit servicing and autonomous manipulation for next-generation spacecraft. His seminal work, the 2009 paper on the FREND robotic arm—cited over 130 times—demonstrated the feasibility of robotic satellite servicing, directly building on the legacy of the Orbital Express mission to mitigate key technical risks. More recently, Dougherty has pioneered small-scale robotic architectures, including the Lunar Under-Actuated (LUnA) arm, developed in partnership with NASA’s STMD to enable affordable, agile servicing of small satellites. Beyond hardware, he explores the ethical dimensions of human-robot interaction, notably through his work on "ethical nudging," which argues for permissible, morally justified influence during user-robot collaboration. His contributions bridge the gap between high-stakes space operations and responsible AI design, making him a key voice in both engineering and ethics. Dougherty’s research continues to shape how robots extend the life of spacecraft—from Earth orbit to future lunar missions.