The trajectory and propulsion research team at Te Punaha Atea Auckland Space Institute is, Felicien Filleul, Antonella Caldarelli, Darcey Graham, Nicholas Rattenbury and John Cater. We are conducting research into novel spacecraft propulsion technologies and spacecraft trajectory optimisation. Below you will find a selection of project summaries of our active or recent research activities.

Optimising Spacecraft Trajectory Design

• Low-thrust Transfer To Interplanetary Trajectories From Lunar Trajectories With Rideshare
• Low-thrust trajectory design
• Mission Feasibility from Trajectory Optimization and the State Of Space Systems Research at The University Of Auckland

Plasma Propulsion Development

• Investigating fundamental physical processes of the helicon plasma thruster
• Magnetic vectoring of plasma plumes