Timothy McElrath

About

Timothy McElrath is a key figure in deep space navigation and mission design, best known for his foundational work on NASA’s Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission (ARRM). His most cited paper, "Overview of Mission Design for NASA Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission Concept" (2013, 51 citations), outlines the groundbreaking plan to robotically capture a 4–10 meter asteroid and redirect it into a stable lunar orbit for subsequent astronaut exploration. This concept not only advanced planetary defense and resource utilization strategies but also demonstrated novel trajectory design for interacting with small bodies. Earlier, McElrath contributed to precision orbit determination with his 1992 paper "Short-arc orbit determination using coherent X-band ranging data" (6 citations), which showed that high-accuracy X-band ranging could significantly improve spacecraft positioning over short arcs—a technique critical for interplanetary missions. His work bridges the gap between theoretical astrodynamics and operational mission success, enabling safer, more efficient robotic and human exploration of the solar system. McElrath’s contributions remain influential for students and researchers in astrodynamics, mission planning, and planetary science.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   Overview of Mission Design for NASA Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission Concept

   51 citations · 2013
2. 2
   Short-arc orbit determination using coherent X-band ranging data

   6 citations · 1992

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links