Welcome to the Space Systems Operations Research Laboratory at WVU!

The Space Systems Operations Research Laboratory (SSORL) is a newly formed research laboratory in the Department of Mechanical, Materials and Aerospace Engineering at West Virginia University. Led by Dr. Hang Woon Lee, we are dedicated to advancing the field of space systems operations research through the development of innovative mathematical modeling techniques and optimization methods for tackling complex decision-making problems that arise during the life cycle of a space system.

Research

What is Space Systems Operations Research?

Space systems operations research is a field that combines operations research, astrodynamics, and space systems engineering to study and optimize the design, operation, and management of space systems. This can include tasks such as analyzing the feasibility and efficiency of different mission scenarios, designing and planning the deployment and operation of space-based assets, and predicting and mitigating potential risks and failures. The goal of space systems operations research is to improve the performance, reliability, and cost-effectiveness of space systems.

The following are the methods and the application domains of our research:

Methods:
- Modeling & Simulation
  - Graph theoretic modeling, complex networks, information theory
- Mathematical optimization
  - Discrete optimization, decomposition-based techniques
  - Nonlinear programming, large-scale multidisciplinary design optimization
Application Domains:
- Distributed satellite systems
  - Satellite constellations, formation flying, satellite networks
  - Earth observations, telecommunications, positioning, navigation & timing
  - In-space mobility (reconfiguration)
- Space traffic management
- Space domain awareness
- On-orbit servicing & space logistics

Prospective Students

We are seeking highly motivated graduate and undergraduate students to join our team and conduct cross-disciplinary research at SSORL.

Ph.D. Positions

Start date: Fall 2025
Areas of focus: stochastic optimization, network theory, artificial intelligence, space traffic management
Hold an accredited B.S. or M.S. in aerospace/mechanical engineering, operations research, industrial engineering, computer science, mathematics, remote sensing, or related disciplines.
M.S. in aerospace engineering is preferred, but not required.
Minimum GPA of 3.5 on of 4.0 scale.
If interested, please send an email expressing your interest to Dr. Lee with

Curriculum vitae and select publications, if any.
It is strongly recommended to submit your admission application to WVU's Ph.D. program in Aerospace Engineering prior to initiating contact.

M.S. Positions

We are seeking M.S. students to join us year-round. Contact Dr. Lee for more information.

Undergraduate Research Opportunities
- As an undergraduate research assistant at SSORL, you have the opportunity to participate in various research projects. You can choose to engage in ongoing research or initiate your own independent projects. There are several ways to get involved, including:
- All majors and backgrounds are welcome to apply.
- If interested, please send an email to Dr. Lee expressing your interest along with your résumé.
Contact: Dr. Hang Woon Lee at hangwoon.lee@mail.wvu.edu.

News

11/2024: Dr. Lee gave an invited lecture at the Heterogeneous Satellite constellation based ISR Research Center (HSRC) Workshop!
11/2024: A new journal paper by Henry, Matt, and Dominic on cislunar space domain awareness has been published in the Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets!
11/2024: Congratulations to Brycen for being awarded the Gerald A. Soffen Memorial Fund for his upcoming presentation at the 2025 AIAA SciTech Forum!
11/2024: Congratulations to Jonah Forinash, an undergraduate researcher in our lab, for being awarded the Undergraduate Affiliate Fellowship Program from the NASA WV Space Grant Consortium!
10/2024: David won the student poster competition at the All Voices as One conference in Morgantown, WV!
08/2024: Trupti (presenter), Dominic, and Jacob presented their research at the 2024 AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Specialist Conference in Broomfield, CO!
08/2024: We are excited to begin a new NASA SBIR Phase I research project with TMC Technologies!
07/2024: David has been selected as the Dianne Dubetz Anderson Fellow by the Statler College for the 2024-25 academic year. Congratulations!
07/2024: We are excited to welcome graduate student Gavin Baker to the research lab!
06/2024: We are excited to begin a new research project sponsored by the NASA WV EPSCoR Research Seed Grant!
06/2024: The SSORL's NASA ECF Project Team presented a seminar at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center on the application of space-based lasers for the remediation of orbital debris!
06/2024: Henry successfully defended his M.S. thesis. Congratulations!
06/2024: We are excited to welcome graduate student Dominic Amato to the research lab!
04/2024: Matthew Fox has received the NASA WV Space Grant Consortium Graduate Research Fellowship Award!
01/2024: Dr. Lee has received the Herbert P. Dripps Faculty Fellowship!
01/2024: A paper, in collaboration with Dr. Smriti Nandan Paul (MAE, Missouri S&T), was presented at the 2024 AIAA SciTech in Orlando, FL.
01/2024: We are excited to welcome graduate student Trupti Gosavi to the research lab!
10/2023: David presented his latest research at the 2023 AIAA ASCEND conference in Las Vegas, NV!
10/2023: WVU Today has released a news article covering our latest research project!
08/2023: Dr. Lee received the 2023 NASA Early Career Faculty (ECF) award!
08/2023: Two of our graduate students, Brycen Pearl and Henry Clareson, presented their research at the 2023 AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Specialist Conference in Big Sky, MT!
08/2023: We would like to welcome Dr. Jae-ik Park from the Korea Aerospace Research Institute as a visiting scholar to our research group!
07/2023: A new paper on satellite constellation reconfiguration has been published in the Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets.
07/2023: Dr. Lee will collaborate with Dr. Hao Chen at Stevens Institute of Technology on a new research projected funded by the NASA's Office of Technology, Policy, and Strategy.
06/2023: We are excited to share the news that our proposal to the NASA EPSCoR Rapid Response Research has been selected for funding!
06/2023: We are excited to begin a new research project sponsored by the NASA WV EPSCoR Research Seed Grant!
06/2023: Matthew Fox, previously an undergraduate researcher, joined our research group as a graduate member!
03/2023: We presented a total of three posters at the Graduate Student Research Symposium during the Statler College Research Week!
01/2023: We are excited to welcome graduate student David Williams Rogers to the research group!
01/2023: We are excited to begin a new research project sponsored by TelePIX!
11/2022: Dr. Lee is recognized as an Excellent Reviewer for the Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics for the period of Oct. 1, 2021-Sept. 30, 2022.
11/2022: Congratulations to Matthew Fox, an undergraduate researcher in our group, for being awarded the Undergraduate Affiliate Fellowship Program from the NASA WV Space Grant Consortium for his research proposal on cislunar SDA!
10/2022: Our paper, in collaboration with Dr. Zeyu Liu (IMSE, WVU), has been accepted for presentation at the 33rd AAS/AIAA Space Flight Mechanics Meeting, Austin, TX, in January 2023!
08/2022: We are excited to welcome graduate students Brycen Pearl and Thomas (Henry) Clareson to the research group!
03/2022 (Pre-WVU): Hang Woon will be joining the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at West Virginia University as an Assistant Professor of Space Systems.

⋮