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About

Steffen Jaekel is a space robotics researcher whose work sits at the intersection of orbital mechanics, autonomous systems, and human-machine interaction. He is best known for his substantial contributions to the European Space Agency's e.deorbit mission, a landmark initiative aimed at tackling the growing crisis of space debris in low Earth orbit. Jaekel played a central role in developing robotic capture concepts targeting ENVISAT, a large, defective, and tumbling satellite, helping to define the engineering frameworks for stabilizing and safely de-orbiting uncooperative spacecraft — work documented across multiple studies spanning 2015 to 2018, accumulating over 60 citations collectively. Beyond debris removal, Jaekel has explored human-machine interaction aboard the International Space Station through the SPHERES interact project, investigating how teleoperated robots can complement autonomous systems to deliver flexibility in mission operations. His research also extends to spacecraft software architecture, where he has championed failure-tolerant, AI-enhanced systems built on Time and Space Partitioning principles, advancing robustness and modularity for next-generation robotic spacecraft. Taken together, Jaekel's body of work reflects a coherent and forward-looking vision for making space operations safer, smarter, and more sustainable — particularly relevant as active debris removal moves from concept to reality.