Robert D. Sanner

About

Robert D. Sanner is a leading figure in autonomous space systems, with a primary focus on state estimation, tracking, and robotic servicing for non-cooperative space targets. His most influential work, "Accurate State Estimation and Tracking of a Non-Cooperative Target Vehicle" (2006, 31 citations), addresses a critical challenge in autonomous rendezvous and docking: safely estimating the state of a target vehicle that does not provide cooperative telemetry or known tracking markers. This contribution is foundational for future missions involving debris removal, on-orbit servicing, and assembly. Sanner further demonstrated the practical application of his expertise in "Hubble Space Telescope Angular Velocity Estimation During the Robotic Servicing Mission" (2005, 10 citations), where he developed vision-based algorithms to estimate HST’s attitude and rates for a proposed robotic capture. This work highlights his ability to solve real-world, high-stakes problems in spaceflight. With a career dedicated to enabling autonomous operations in the most challenging orbital environments, Sanner’s research directly supports NASA’s vision for sustainable space exploration and robotic maintenance of critical assets.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   Accurate State Estimation and Tracking of a Non-Cooperative Target Vehicle

   31 citations · 2006
2. 2
   Hubble Space Telescope Angular Velocity Estimation During the Robotic Servicing Mission

   10 citations · 2005

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links