Timothy Linn

Papers

Total Citations

H-Index

About

Timothy Linn is a key figure in deep-space mission design, with his most influential work centered on the OSIRIS-REx mission and the intricate choreography of asteroid sample collection. His primary research areas include astrodynamics, trajectory optimization, and proximity operations around small bodies. Linn’s major contribution is his foundational role in developing the Touch-and-Go (TAG) mission design for OSIRIS-REx, which enabled NASA to successfully collect a pristine sample from the near-Earth asteroid Bennu. This work, published in 2014, has garnered over 100 citations and is considered a seminal reference for autonomous sampling maneuvers. By solving the complex challenges of navigating a spacecraft in the low-gravity, irregular environment of an asteroid, Linn’s analysis directly supported one of NASA’s most ambitious New Frontiers missions. His achievements demonstrate a rare blend of theoretical rigor and practical engineering, making his research essential reading for students and professionals alike who are designing future sample-return and asteroid-redirect missions.