Dr Leonard Felicetti

Areas of expertise

• Space Systems

Background

Dr. Leonard Felicetti is a Lecturer in Space Engineering in Cranfield University. His main areas of interest/expertise are: Spacecraft Orbital and Attitude Control Systems (AOCS); Guidance, Navigation and Control (GNC); Spacecraft Systems and Subsystems; Spacecraft Design; Space Robotics; Distributed Space Systems

He received his M.Sc. summa cum laude from Sapienza – University of Rome (Italy) in 2008 with a dissertation on the Attitude Dynamics and Control of a Cubesat implementing a Drag-Balance Instrument for measuring the Atmospheric Drag in Low Earth Orbit. In 2013, he received his Ph.D. on the “Dynamics, Guidance and Control of Multiple Platform Space Systems” and later, he was awarded a two-years post-doc grant at the Guidance and Navigation Lab of Sapienza -  University of Rome (Italy) for a study contract on the Active Debris Removal by using Space Robotic Manipulators.

In 2015, he was an Honorary Research Associate at University of Glasgow (UK) for a research on the Attitude and Orbit Control Strategies for Variable-Geometry Solar Sailing.  

Leonard was an Associate Senior Lecturer in On-board Space System in Luleå University of Technology (Sweden) from 2015 to 2018, leading the research activities of the group in “Mission Design for Space Debris Detection and Surveillance by using Formations of Autonomous Satellites”. He was also the teacher of the courses “Spacecraft Subsystems”, “Spacecraft Design” and “Spacecraft Environment Interactions” of the Master Degree programs on Space Science and Technology and Spacecraft Design of Luleå University of Technology.

Leonard joined Cranfield University (UK) in December 2018, having active roles on both teaching and research activities in the fields of guidance, navigation and control of space systems, spacecraft orbital and attitude control systems, space robotics and space system design. Leonard is also the organizer of the “Mission Design for Spacecraft Formations” session at IEEE Aerospace Conference, reviewer of numerous academic journals and AIAA member.

Current activities

Leonard’s main research interests are in spacecraft orbital and attitude control systems, guidance, navigation and control of space system, space robotics and multibody dynamics. He is also active in research topics such as space debris surveillance, space traffic management and active debris removal. 

Publications

• Articles in journals
• Conference papers
• Books