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About

M. A. Ullman is a robotics researcher whose career has been shaped by pioneering work in autonomous space robotics, particularly the development and control of free-flying space robot systems. Based at Stanford University's Aerospace Robotics Laboratory (ARL), Ullman contributed significantly to some of the field's foundational experiments in multi-manipulator spacecraft capable of autonomous target tracking, acquisition, and manipulation in microgravity environments. Ullman's most influential contribution, "Experiments in Autonomous Navigation and Control of Multi-Manipulator, Free-Flying Space Robots" (1993, 49 citations), established key frameworks for controlling complex robotic systems in space-like conditions. Earlier work from 1989 laid the groundwork for global navigation strategies and introduced computed torque control methods for free-floating cooperative-arm robots — a mathematically elegant approach that leverages momentum conservation to achieve precise end-point control without relying on fixed base assumptions. Collaborating with NASA, Ullman also helped architect modular system designs intended to enable spacecraft to autonomously rendezvous with, capture, and service free-floating objects. Collectively, Ullman's research has accumulated nearly 100 citations, leaving a meaningful imprint on autonomous space robotics and influencing subsequent generations of satellite servicing and orbital manipulation research.