Space Systems Operations Research Laboratory
SSORL is a research laboratory within the Department of Mechanical, Materials and Aerospace Engineering at West Virginia University.
Led by Dr. Hang Woon Lee, SSORL advances the field of space systems operations research by developing innovative mathematical modeling and optimization methods tailored to the unique dynamics, constraints, and uncertainties inherent in astrodynamics and space systems, addressing complex decision-making challenges throughout the entire system life cycle.
Our mission is to uncover new design and operational architectures that remain invisible to current methods, pushing the boundaries of what space systems can achieve.
Research
What is Space Systems Operations Research?
Space systems operations research is an interdisciplinary field that
integrates
operations research,
astrodynamics,
and
space systems engineering
to optimize the design, operation, and management of space systems. It emphasizes
mission feasibility and operational risk assessment, with the goal of enhancing
performance, reliability, and cost-effectiveness throughout the system life cycle.
The following are the methods and the application domains of our research:
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Methods:
- Modeling & Simulation
- Graph theoretic modeling, complex networks, information theory
- Mathematical optimization
- Discrete optimization, decomposition-based techniques
- Nonlinear programming, large-scale multidisciplinary design optimization
- Artificial intelligence
- Modeling & Simulation
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Application Domains:
- Distributed satellite systems
- Satellite constellations, formation flying, satellite networks
- Earth observations, telecommunications, positioning, navigation & timing
- In-space mobility (orbital maneuvers, constellation reconfiguration)
- Cislunar space
- Space traffic management
- Orbital debris remediation
- Space domain awareness
- On-orbit servicing & space logistics
- Distributed satellite systems
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 2026
- 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 a 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.
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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:
- Undergraduate research assistantships
- Research Apprenticeship Program (RAP)
- Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE)
- MAE 495 - Independent Study
- All majors and backgrounds are welcome to apply.
- If interested, please send an email to Dr. Lee expressing your interest along with your résumé.
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Contact: Dr. Hang Woon Lee at hangwoon.lee@mail.wvu.edu.
News
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Aug 2026A new journal article, "Encounter Geometry Effects on Space-Based Laser Debris Remediation and Estimation," by Matthew, Gavin, and David, has been published in Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets! We appreciate the NASA Early Career Faculty program for supporting this research.
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Aug 2026Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and The State Journal featured our latest research in “West Virginia researchers are trying to revolutionize how we fight wildfires” and “Future wildfire detection could rely on self-maneuvering satellites, WVU researchers say.”
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Jul 2026Matthew received the John V. Breakwell Student Award for his conference paper, “Space-Based Laser Remediation, Estimation, and Characterization of Irregularly Shaped Debris,” presented at the 2026 AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Specialist Conference in Whistler, British Columbia, July 26–30, 2026. Congratulations!
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Jul 2026SSORL members David, Matthew, Jonah, Gavin, and Joshua presented six papers at the 2026 AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Specialist Conference in Whistler, British Columbia, Canada, including one coauthored with our collaborator Dongshik Won of KAIST.
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Jul 2026Dominic successfully defended his M.S. thesis, entitled "Concurrent Placement and Scheduling of Space-Based Observers for Cislunar Space Domain Awareness." Congratulations!
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Jul 2026Brycen successfully defended his Ph.D. dissertation, entitled "Leveraging Constellation Reconfigurability to Improve Earth Observation Satellite Systems." Congratulations!
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Jul 2026WVU Today featured our latest research in “WVU engineers develop AI system to speed satellite tracking of wildfires.”
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Jun 2026Gavin, David, and Matthew contributed to an episode of the American Chemical Society's Tiny Matters podcast, discussing space debris, collision risks, and space-based laser concepts for orbital debris remediation.
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Jun 2026A new journal article, "Automating the Wildfire Detection and Scheduling Pipeline with Maneuverable Earth Observation Satellites," by Brycen and Joshua, has been published in Journal of Aerospace Information Systems! We appreciate the NASA WV EPSCoR program for supporting this research.
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May 2026Joshua presented his paper, "Robust Multi-Body Station-Keeping via Hybrid Propulsion and Reinforcement Learning," at ASCEND 2026 in Washington, D.C.
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Apr 2026Josh has been awarded a NASA West Virginia Space Grant Consortium Undergraduate Research Scholarship. Congratulations!
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Apr 2026Matt has been awarded a NASA West Virginia Space Grant Consortium Graduate Research Fellowship. Congratulations!
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Apr 2026Congratulations to Jonah for winning the 2026 Spring Undergraduate Research Symposium!
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Apr 2026Congratulations to Gavin for winning the Statler College Student Research Poster Competition!
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Apr 2026Congratulations to Brycen for receiving the MMAE Outstanding Graduate Student Research Award!
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Apr 2026Congratulations to Joshua for receiving the MMAE Outstanding Undergraduate Student Research Award!
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Mar 2026A new journal article, "Optimal Satellite Constellation Configuration Design: A Collection of Mixed Integer Linear Programs", led by David in collaboration with TelePIX has been published in Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets. The paper introduces a flexible optimization framework for satellite constellation design, demonstrating how a collection of mixed-integer linear programs can address a range of mission scenarios and coverage requirements while producing provably optimal configurations. We are also releasing the source code.
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Mar 2026We have launched our official GitHub organization page! We will be releasing several of our source codes publicly.
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Mar 2026David presented his paper, "Enhancing Orbital Debris Remediation with Reconfigurable Space-Based Laser Constellations," at the 2026 IEEE Aerospace Conference in Big Sky, MT.
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Feb 2026Congratulations to Brycen on passing his Ph.D. Proposal Defense!
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Jan 2026A new journal article on hybrid sensing for near-Earth space domain awareness, in collaboration with Dr. Smriti Nandan Paul (Missouri S&T), has been published in The Journal of the Astronautical Sciences!
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Dec 2025Our lab hosted the second WVU Space Systems & Operations Research Symposium in Morgantown, WV, featuring one guest speaker, Dr. Anand Mishra, and six technical presentations!
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Nov 2025A new journal article on Reconfigurable Earth Observation Satellite Scheduling Problem, by Brycen and Joseph, has been published in Journal of Aerospace Information Systems! We appreciate WVU MMAE for making this article open access.
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Oct 2025A new journal article on space logistics analysis and incentive design for commercialization of orbital debris remediation, by Asaad (Stevens), Brycen, and Dr. Hao Chen (Stevens), has been published in Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets!
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Oct 2025Congratulations to Joshua Warner, an undergraduate researcher in our lab, for being awarded the Undergraduate Research Scholarship Program from the NASA WV Space Grant Consortium!
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Aug 2025Brycen, Dominic, Gavin, and David presented their research at the 2025 AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Specialist Conference in Boston, MA! Topics ranged from wildfire detection using maneuverable satellites, to cislunar space domain awareness using space-based observers, and orbital debris remediation using space-based lasers.
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Aug 2025A new journal article on optimizing the placement and scheduling of space-based lasers for orbital debris remediation, by David, Matt, and Paul Stysley (NASA GSFC), has been published in Advances in Space Research!
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Jul 2025The SSORL's NASA ECF Project Team delivered the Annual Technical Seminar at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, providing an overview of our latest findings on the application of space-based lasers for orbital debris remediation!
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Jun 2025Dr. Lee and David visited the COMET Lab at KAIST (PI: Dr. Changhyun Kwon) and gave a seminar.
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Jun 2025Dr. Lee and David visited TelePIX in Seoul, South Korea, and delivered a presentation on the research work we have conducted with TelePIX!
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May 2025A new journal article on distributed space‑resource logistics architecture optimization, co‑authored with Evangelia and Dr. Chen, has been published in the Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets!
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Apr 2025Congratulations to Jonah Forinash, an undergraduate researcher in our lab, for being awarded the Undergraduate Research Fellowship program from the NASA WV Space Grant Consortium!
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Mar 2025David and Brycen presented their papers at the 2025 IEEE Aerospace Conference in Big Sky, MT!
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Jan 2025A new journal article by Brycen and Logan on benchmarking agility and reconfigurability in satellite systems has been published in the Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets!
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Jan 2025Our lab presented six papers at the 2025 AIAA SciTech Forum in Orlando, FL, including four lead-author (Brycen, Matt, and David) and two co-authored papers!
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Dec 2024Our lab hosted the first WVU Space Systems & Operations Research Symposium in Morgantown, WV, with Dr. Zeyu Liu's group!
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Dec 2024The research team funded by NASA OTPS (including Dr. Lee) attended and delivered the final presentation on their research at the Space Sustainability Symposium held at NASA Headquarters.
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Nov 2024Dr. Lee gave an invited lecture at the Heterogeneous Satellite constellation based ISR Research Center (HSRC) Workshop.
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Nov 2024New journal article by Henry, Matt, and Dominic on cislunar space domain awareness published in the Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets!
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Nov 2024Congratulations to Brycen for being awarded the Gerald A. Soffen Memorial Fund for his upcoming presentation at the 2025 AIAA SciTech Forum!
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Nov 2024Congratulations to Jonah Forinash, an undergraduate researcher in our lab, for being awarded the Undergraduate Affiliate Fellowship Program from the NASA WV Space Grant Consortium!
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Oct 2024David won the student poster competition at the All Voices as One conference in Morgantown, WV!
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Aug 2024Trupti (presenter), Dominic, and Jacob presented their research at the 2024 AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Specialist Conference in Broomfield, CO!
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Aug 2024We are excited to begin a new NASA SBIR Phase I research project with TMC Technologies!
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Jul 2024David has been selected as the Dianne Dubetz Anderson Fellow by the Statler College for the 2024-25 academic year. Congratulations!
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Jul 2024We are excited to welcome graduate student Gavin Baker to the research lab!
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Jun 2024We are excited to begin a new research project sponsored by the NASA WV EPSCoR Research Seed Grant!
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Jun 2024The 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!
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Jun 2024Henry successfully defended his M.S. thesis. Congratulations!
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Jun 2024We are excited to welcome graduate student Dominic Amato to the research lab!
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Apr 2024Matthew Fox has received the NASA WV Space Grant Consortium Graduate Research Fellowship Award!
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Jan 2024Dr. Lee has received the Herbert P. Dripps Faculty Fellowship!
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Jan 2024A paper, in collaboration with Dr. Smriti Nandan Paul (MAE, Missouri S&T), was presented at the 2024 AIAA SciTech in Orlando, FL.
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Jan 2024We are excited to welcome graduate student Trupti Gosavi to the research lab!
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Oct 2023David presented his latest research at the 2023 AIAA ASCEND conference in Las Vegas, NV!
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Oct 2023WVU Today has released a news article covering our latest research project!
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Aug 2023Dr. Lee received the 2023 NASA Early Career Faculty (ECF) award!
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Aug 2023Two of our graduate students, Brycen Pearl and Henry Clareson, presented their research at the 2023 AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Specialist Conference in Big Sky, MT!
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Aug 2023We would like to welcome Dr. Jae-ik Park from the Korea Aerospace Research Institute as a visiting scholar to our research group!
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Jul 2023A new paper on satellite constellation reconfiguration has been published in the Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets.
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Jul 2023Dr. Lee will collaborate with Dr. Hao Chen at Stevens Institute of Technology on a new research project funded by the NASA's Office of Technology, Policy, and Strategy.
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Jun 2023We are excited to share the news that our proposal to the NASA EPSCoR Rapid Response Research has been selected for funding!
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Jun 2023We are excited to begin a new research project sponsored by the NASA WV EPSCoR Research Seed Grant!
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Jun 2023Matthew Fox, previously an undergraduate researcher, joined our research group as a graduate member!
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Mar 2023We presented a total of three posters at the Graduate Student Research Symposium during the Statler College Research Week!
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Jan 2023We are excited to welcome graduate student David Williams Rogers to the research group!
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Jan 2023We are excited to begin a new research project sponsored by TelePIX!
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Nov 2022Dr. 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.
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Nov 2022Congratulations 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!
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Oct 2022Our 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!
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Aug 2022We are excited to welcome graduate students Brycen Pearl and Thomas (Henry) Clareson to the research group!
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Mar 2022Hang Woon will be joining the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at West Virginia University as an Assistant Professor of Space Systems.
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