Focus sur Alesia Herasimenka, lauréate d'un financement exceptionnel de l'Académie "Systèmes Complexes"
Alesia Herasimenka, doctorante à l'Université Côte d'Azur depuis 2020, se consacre à la contrôlabilité des voiles solaires. En juin 2023, grâce à un financement exceptionnel de l'Académie "Systèmes Complexes", elle a participé à l'International Symposium on Space Sailing à New York, où elle a présenté les résultats prometteurs de ses recherches pour les futures missions impliquant l'utilisation de voiles solaires.
Similar to sailboats navigating on water using the wind, solar sails are satellites capable of changing their orbit by utilizing light as a source of propulsion. Alesia Herasimenka, a doctoral student at Université Côte d’Azur since 2020[1], is currently conducting research on the controllability of these solar sails, specifically their ability to change their orbit arbitrarily.
In space, the sail's surface is struck by a flux of photons that exert a force known as solar radiation pressure. This force pushes the satellite in a specific direction, providing an inexhaustible source of propulsion.
Under the supervision of J.-B. Caillau, L. Dell'Elce, and J.-B. Pomet, the doctoral student's research work has mathematically demonstrated that if the sail is sufficiently reflective, it can perform any desired orbital maneuvers. To evaluate this controllability condition, an efficient verification process has been proposed.
This process relies on the use of the sail's optical properties, which determine its ability to reflect light, and the application of advanced numerical methods in convex optimization characterized by their efficiency, adaptability, and capability to handle large and complex problems. In this particular case, these methods are employed to optimize the optical properties of the solar sail to enable full controllability of its trajectory.
At this stage of the project, the developed algorithm can serve as an analysis tool for the design of various space missions. This algorithm provides minimum requirements for sail design and also calculates the mission's lifespan, taking into account the degradation of the sail's optical properties over time.
Alesia Herasimenka was able to present these advancements at the 6th edition of the International Symposium on Space Sailing held from June 5th to 9th, 2023, in New York, thanks to exceptional funding from the Complex "Systems Academy".
Indeed, on February 7th, 2023, the doctoral student was granted an IdEx grant of €2,000 for the quality of her oral presentation titled "Controllability Test for Fast-Oscillating Systems with Constrained Control. Application to Solar Sailing" delivered during Complex Day 2023. This event organized by the Academy of "Complex Systems" brings together approximately a hundred researchers in complex systems from Université Côte d’Azur each year.
The Academy's grant aimed to provide the doctoral student with the opportunity to promote her work at an international conference and expand her collaboration network.
Thus, during the 2023 edition of the International Symposium on Space Sailing, she had the opportunity to present the results of her research, which show great promise for future missions involving solar sails.
Organized by prestigious scientific institutions and universities such as the New York City College of Technology at the City University of New York, this symposium is a major event in the field of solar sails and light-based space propulsion. It brings together scientists, engineers, and space agencies from around the world to share their knowledge and discoveries in this field.
For the doctoral student, this symposium was also a unique platform for discussion and exchange of ideas on the latest scientific advancements, emerging technologies, practical applications, and challenges related to the use of solar sails in space exploration.
[1] Alesia Herasimenka, PhD student since October 2020 in the "Geometry, Analysis and Dynamics" teams of the J-A Dieudonné Laboratory (UCA-CNRS) and McTao (Mathematics for Control, Transport and their ApplicatiOns), Inria of the Côte d'Azur University
Can solar sails change their orbit arbitrarily?
Similar to sailboats navigating on water using the wind, solar sails are satellites capable of changing their orbit by utilizing light as a source of propulsion. Alesia Herasimenka, a doctoral student at Université Côte d’Azur since 2020[1], is currently conducting research on the controllability of these solar sails, specifically their ability to change their orbit arbitrarily.In space, the sail's surface is struck by a flux of photons that exert a force known as solar radiation pressure. This force pushes the satellite in a specific direction, providing an inexhaustible source of propulsion.
Under the supervision of J.-B. Caillau, L. Dell'Elce, and J.-B. Pomet, the doctoral student's research work has mathematically demonstrated that if the sail is sufficiently reflective, it can perform any desired orbital maneuvers. To evaluate this controllability condition, an efficient verification process has been proposed.
This process relies on the use of the sail's optical properties, which determine its ability to reflect light, and the application of advanced numerical methods in convex optimization characterized by their efficiency, adaptability, and capability to handle large and complex problems. In this particular case, these methods are employed to optimize the optical properties of the solar sail to enable full controllability of its trajectory.
At this stage of the project, the developed algorithm can serve as an analysis tool for the design of various space missions. This algorithm provides minimum requirements for sail design and also calculates the mission's lifespan, taking into account the degradation of the sail's optical properties over time.
Alesia Herasimenka was able to present these advancements at the 6th edition of the International Symposium on Space Sailing held from June 5th to 9th, 2023, in New York, thanks to exceptional funding from the Complex "Systems Academy".
Indeed, on February 7th, 2023, the doctoral student was granted an IdEx grant of €2,000 for the quality of her oral presentation titled "Controllability Test for Fast-Oscillating Systems with Constrained Control. Application to Solar Sailing" delivered during Complex Day 2023. This event organized by the Academy of "Complex Systems" brings together approximately a hundred researchers in complex systems from Université Côte d’Azur each year.
The Academy's grant aimed to provide the doctoral student with the opportunity to promote her work at an international conference and expand her collaboration network.
Thus, during the 2023 edition of the International Symposium on Space Sailing, she had the opportunity to present the results of her research, which show great promise for future missions involving solar sails.
Organized by prestigious scientific institutions and universities such as the New York City College of Technology at the City University of New York, this symposium is a major event in the field of solar sails and light-based space propulsion. It brings together scientists, engineers, and space agencies from around the world to share their knowledge and discoveries in this field.
For the doctoral student, this symposium was also a unique platform for discussion and exchange of ideas on the latest scientific advancements, emerging technologies, practical applications, and challenges related to the use of solar sails in space exploration.
[1] Alesia Herasimenka, PhD student since October 2020 in the "Geometry, Analysis and Dynamics" teams of the J-A Dieudonné Laboratory (UCA-CNRS) and McTao (Mathematics for Control, Transport and their ApplicatiOns), Inria of the Côte d'Azur University