Lt Col Joshuah A. Hess, Ph.D.
Adjunct Assistant Professor of Aerospace Engineering
BS, Aerospace Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic and State University, 2009; MS, Astronautical Engineering, Air Force Institute of Technology, 2011; PhD, Aerospace Engineering, Air Force Institute of Technology, 2016.
Major Hess’s research interests include orbital mechanics, spacecraft attitude determination, optimal control theory, relative satellite motion, satellite rendezvous and proximity operations, estimation theory, and optimization. He has investigated adaptive estimation of nonlinear spacecraft attitude dynamics as well as the relative navigation between satellites conducting proximity operations. Previously, Major Hess worked as a space systems engineer at the National Air and Space Intelligence Center (NASIC), and has deployed to Southwest Asia in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. He is a member of Tau Beta Pi, Sigma Gamma Tau, and AIAA.
Education
B.S., Aerospace Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, 2009
M.S., Astronautical Engineering, Air Force Institute of Technology, WPAFB, OH, 2011
Ph.D., Aeronautical Engineering, Air Force Institute of Technology, WPAFB, OH, 2016
Publications
Linville, D., and Hess, J.A., "Limited Information Pursuit-Evasion Differential Games for Spacecraft Proximity Operations", 2020 AIAA Science and Technology Forum and Exposition, Orlando, FL, January 2020.
Bettinger, R. and Hess, J.A., "Hypervelocity Impact Vulnerability Assessment for a 6U CubeSat Bus", 2020 AIAA Science and Technology Forum and Exposition, Orlando, FL, January 2020.
Bettinger, R. and Hess, J.A., "Fractionated Spacecraft Survivability Following a Catastrophic Explosion", 2020 AIAA Science and Technology Forum and Exposition, Orlando, FL, January 2020.
Collins, A.R., Johnson, K.W., and Hess, J.A., "Development of Cislunar Space Logistics Networks for Satellite Constellation Support", 2020 AIAA Science and Technology Forum and Exposition, Orlando, FL, January 2020.
Stephens, S., Hess, J.A., and Kunz D.L, "Optimal Control Approach to Terrain Following Trajectory Generation", 2020 AIAA Science and Technology Forum and Exposition, Orlando, FL, January 2020.
Scarcella, P.C., Johnson, K.W., Hess, J.A., "Consider Filtering Applied to Maneuver Detection for Relative Orbit Determination", 2019 AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Specialist Conference, August 2019, AAS 19-872.
Newell, D.J.,* O'Hara R., Cobb, G.R., Palazotto, A.N., Kirka, M.M., Burggraf, L.W., Hess, J.A., "Mitigation of scan strategy effects and material anisotropy through supersolvus annealing in LPBF IN718", Materials Science and Engineering: A, (DOI 10.1016/j.msea.2019.138230)
Prince, E.*, Hess, J.A., Carr, R., Cobb, R.G., “Elliptical Orbit Proximity Operations Differential Games”, Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics (DOI 10.2514/1.G004031)
Harris, M.*, Kunz, D., and Hess, J.A., “Analytical Determination of a Helicopter Height-Velocity Curve”, Journal of DoD Research and Engineering, Vol 2, Issue 1, pp 2-13 (AD1066373)
George, B.C.*, Hess, J. A., and Cobb, R.G., “Evolutionary Neurocontrol for Spacecraft Proximity Operations”, 29th AAS/AIAA Space Flight Mechanics Meeting, Ka'anapali, Maui, HI, January 13-17, 2019.
Tatman, L. A.*, Bettinger R. A., Hess, J. A., Lingenfelter, A. J., “Orbital Debris Propagation in Solwind Anti-Satellite Event,” 2019 AIAA Science and Technology Forum and Exposition, San Diego, CA, January 2019.
Hess, J. A., Bettinger, R. A., Lingenfelter, A. J., “Spacecraft Survivability in a Catastrophic Formation Mishap,” 2019 AIAA Science and Technology Forum and Exposition, San Diego, CA, January 2019.
Hudson, K.*, Lingenfelter, A. J., and Hess, J.A., “Dynamic Mass Balancing of a Spacecraft Test Platform”, AIAA Scitech 2019 Forum, AIAA SciTech Forum, (AIAA 2019-0941)
Nesmith, A.D.*, Lingenfelter, A.J., Hess, J.A., and Liu, D., “Applications of Second Order Linear Differential Equations to Model a Hydrodynamic Ram Cavity”, AIAA Scitech 2019 Forum, AIAA SciTech Forums, (AIAA 2019-0522)
M. J. Harris, Donald L. Kunz, and Joshuah A. Hess. "Analytical Determination of a Helicopter Height-Velocity Curve", 2018 Modeling and Simulation Technologies Conference, AIAA AVIATION Forum, (AIAA 2018-3258)
Roth, Krista, Swenson, E.D., Hess, J.A., "Analysis of an Experimental Space Debris Removal Mission', AIAA SPACE Forum, 12-14 Sep 2017, Orlando, FL, AIAA Space and Astronautics Forum and Exposition. DOI: 10.2514/6.2017-5346
Prince, E.R., Cobb, R.G., Hess, J.A., “Optimal Slew-Rate-Limited Guidance for Combined Formation Establishment and Reconfiguration of Inspector Satellite with Exclusion Cone,” AAS 17-530, Feb 2017. 27th AAS/AIAA Space Flight Mechanics Meeting February 5-9, 2017, San Antonio, Texas.
Hess, J.A., Adaptive Estimation and Heuristic Optimization of Nonlinear Spacecraft Attitude Dynamics, PhD dissertation, Air Force Institute of Technology, 2016.
Hess, J.A., Swenson, E.D., Leve, F.A., Black, J.T., and Goff, G.M., Adaptive Estimation of Nonlinear Spacecraft Attitude Dynamics with Time-Varying Moments of Inertia using On-Board Sensors, AIAA Guidance, Navigation, and Control Conference, AIAA SciTech (AIAA 2016-1855)
Goff, G.M., Black, J.T., Beck, J.A., and Hess, J.A., A Dynamic Sensor Tasking Strategy for Tracking Maneuvering Spacecraft using Multiple Models, AIAA Guidance, Navigation, and Control Conference, AIAA SciTech (AIAA 2016-1859)
Hess, J.A., Decker, D.D., and Lovell, T.A., Osculating Relative Orbit Elements Describing Relative Satellite Motion with J2 Perturbations, Advances in the Astronautical Sciences vol 142, 2011.
Hess, J.A., Decker, D.D., and Lovell, T.A., Osculating Relative Orbit Elements Describing Relative Satellite Motion about an Eccentric Orbit, Advances in the Astronautical Sciences vol 142, 2011.
Hess, J.A., Osculating Relative Orbit Elements Resulting from Chief Eccentricity and J2 Perturbing Forces, M.S. Thesis, Air Force Institute of Technology, 2011.