About Us

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   Our daily activity has two different fronts: lecturing and scientific research. Both take place, mainly, at the School of Aeronautics (ETSI Aeronáuticos) of the Technical University of Madrid (UPM).

   We usually lecture Classical formulation of the Classical Mechanics and also the Analytical approach to the subject, with particular emphasis in the Lagrangian formulation. Even though we study the Rigid Body Mechanics in detail we also face the Dynamics of Non-rigid Systems and an introduction to the theory of Dynamical Systems. We also lecture Orbital Mechanics and Attitude Dynamics in the fourth year of our degree course. We offer some courses for graduate students on Analytical Mechanics and Space Tether Dynamics. Som of us lecture classes of Orbital Mechanics, Attitude Dynamics and Mission Analysis in a post-graduate course titled "Master in Space Technology" offered by UPM and headed by J. Peláez.

   As regard our research activity we should underline its wide spectrum:

  • Space Tether Dynamics
  • Astrodynamics
  • Orbital Mechanics
  • Dynamics Stability
  • Dynamics Simulation
  • Periodic Orbits in Celestial Mechanics
  • Chaos in Classical Mechanics

   Our group, which has a sound background in space tethers with special emphasis in the Dynamic Stability Properties of Electrodynamic Tethers, tries now broadening our research field to neighboring areas of interest in space dynamics and connecting ourselves with other space research communities. The main topics in which we are interested now are:

  • Accurate and fast orbit propagation
  • Accurate and fast attitude propagation
  • Dynamics simulation
  • Study of new electrodynamic tether missions
  • Orbital debris mitigation
  • Orbit stabilization by means of rotating tethers

   We have good relations with different research centers and scientist which play important roles in the field of the Tether Dynamics. Besides Professor Juan R. Sanmartín (UPM), we shall cite Prof. Manuel Martínez-Sánchez of the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics of MIT, and Enrico C. Lorenzini and Mario Cosmo of the Special Project Group of the Harvard-Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. In the field of Orbital or Celestial Mechanics we have good relations with the Space Mechanics Group, a very active team of the Spanish University of Zaragoza and the University of Murcia, led by Profs. Antonio Elipe and Sebastian Ferrer, which works on a regular basis for different and important European institutions like CNES (France):

   We are members of the AAS and we use to attend the AAS/AIAA Space Flight Mechanics Meeting which is held on the month of January or February each year, at different places of the USA. This is where we usually present papers of our research work. In Europe we have started to attend the CNES' International Symposiums of Spaceflight Dynamics and the Spanish Jornadas de Trabajo en Mecánica Celeste, a yearly workshop about Celestial Mechanics organized by Spanish Universities. We publish our research work in:

  • Acta Astronautica
  • The Journal of the Astronautical Sciences
  • Journal of Guidance, Control and Dynamics
  • Journal of Spacecraft  and Rockets
  • other journals of Applied Physics or Aerospace Engineering

   We acted as referees for relevant journals in the field of applied physics, Physica D, and aerospace engineering, Journal of Guidance Control and Dynamics, Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, Celestial Mechanics and Dynamical Astronomy, Acta Astronautica and many others. Some of us have evaluated Research Projects for the Spanish ANEP (Agencia Nacional de Evaluación y Prospectiva) which depends on the Interministerial Comission of Science and Technology (CICYT) of the Spanish Ministry of Industry.