ACC 2026 Workshop: Data Driven Methods for Space Resiliency

Abstract

This workshop will showcase the cutting edge of research and practice in data driven methods for the sustainable utilization of the space domain. Today, space is intricately woven into the fabric of our terrestrial existence. Assets in orbit support nearly every aspect of human life, be it agriculture, finance, communication, navigation, economic development, national security, or our many scientific endeavors. During the past decade, increased multinational and commercial activity, combined with weak governance has led to an inordinate rise in active and passive threats to the resiliency of space systems. The proposed workshop will showcase the cutting edge of research and practice in both predictive and forensic analytical capabilities that can convert data into certifiably accurate models for decision and control in orbit. Speakers will span the government, national labs, and academia, presenting challenges, opportunities, and solutions for this multifaceted domain. The following list provides broad areas of interest for technical content to be presented in the proposed workshop:

Sustainable utilization of the space domain
Autonomous decision making under duress
Learning orbital mechanics from sparse and/or unreliable data
Communication and coordination
Estimation and control at the frontier: VLEO to Cislunar
Computer vision, machine learning and AI in space
Advances in sensing and data fusion
Impact of space assets on life on Earth

Confirmed Speakers

Stacie Williams, Chief Science Officer, United States Space Force
Diane Davis, Texas A&M University
Carolin Frueh, Purdue University
Sean Phillips, Air Force Research Laboratory, RV
Renato Zanetti, University of Texas Austin
Islam Hussein, Trusted Space Inc.
Robyn Woollands, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Kenshiro Oguri, Purdue University
Dipankar Maity, University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Yashwanth Nakka, Georgia Tech University

Program

8:00 - 9:00. Keynote Address - Dr. Stacie Williams
9:00 - 11:30. Session 1. Sensors and Data. Speakers: Frueh, Zanetti, Phillips, Hussein
11:30 - 1:00. Lunch and Open Mic
1:00 - 2:00. Technical Keynote - Speaker TBD.
2:00 - 4:30. Session 2. Estimation and Control, ML/AI for Space. Speakers: Woollands, Oguri, Maity, Nakka
4:30 - 5:15. Panel: What's next for space resiliency?
5:15 - 6:00. Poster Session.

Detailed program is available here: Workshop Program.

Organizing Committee

Mrinal Kumar, Professor, Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, The Ohio State University
Suman Chakravorty, Professor, Aerospace Engineering, Texas A&M University
Piyush Mehta, West Virginia University
Alexander Soderlund, Air Force Research Laboratory, RV