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About

Brook Sullivan is a pioneering researcher in space telerobotics and on-orbit satellite servicing, whose work has shaped how humans and machines collaborate in the most extreme environments. Her primary research areas include time-delayed teleoperation, neutral buoyancy vehicle control, and the economic and technical feasibility of robotic satellite repair. Sullivan’s most impactful contribution, her 2003 paper on the effects of time delay in telerobotic control of neutral buoyancy vehicles (80 citations), remains a foundational reference for understanding how communication lags—up to several seconds—affect remote manipulation in hazardous settings, from deep sea to deep space. She further advanced the field through her involvement in the Ranger Telerobotic Shuttle Experiment, planning on-orbit operations that demonstrated key servicing technologies. In 2015, Sullivan delivered a parametric investigation of satellite servicing in geostationary orbit (11 citations), directly confronting myths about the viability of robotic repair and quantifying revenue opportunities. Her work bridges engineering practicality with visionary thinking, making her a respected voice in the push toward on-demand robotic capabilities in GEO.