Steve Paschall

Draper Laboratory, Johnson Space Center

Papers

2

Total Citations

19

H-Index

2

About

Steve Paschall is a leading figure in autonomous systems and space exploration, whose work bridges the gap between high-risk terrestrial operations and precision extraterrestrial navigation. His research focuses on developing robust, real-time autonomy for vehicles operating in unknown, cluttered environments—from hazardous buildings to the lunar surface. Paschall’s major contributions include pioneering lightweight, fast autonomy architectures for military and first-response scenarios, enabling unmanned systems to navigate dangerous spaces without prior mapping. His 2017 paper on this topic, with 11 citations, addresses the critical need for speed and safety in clearing operations. In the realm of spaceflight, Paschall was instrumental in the Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology (ALHAT) Project, designing lunar landing trajectories that allow spacecraft to autonomously detect and avoid surface hazards. His 2009 work on this subject (8 citations) laid the groundwork for terrain-relative navigation, a key capability for future Moon missions. By combining theoretical rigor with practical, mission-critical applications, Paschall’s research directly impacts both defense and aerospace sectors, making him a notable contributor to the future of autonomous navigation.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

2
H-Index
2
Papers
19
Total Citations
10
Avg Citations/Paper
🏆 Most Cited Paper
Fast, lightweight autonomy through an unknown cluttered environment: Distribution statement: A — Approved for public release; distribution unlimited
11 citations · 2017
📈 Most Prolific Year: 2017 (1 Papers)
🤝 Key Collaborators: 3
🏛 Institutions: Draper Laboratory, Johnson Space Center

Top Papers

  1. 1
  2. 2

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links

Available for collaboration
Content generated · 12 days ago