Contact Dr Leonard Felicetti
- Tel: +44 (0) 1234 750111
- Email: Leonard.Felicetti@cranfield.ac.uk
- ORCID
- ResearchGate
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, leading the teaching and research activities in guidance, navigation and control of space systems, spacecraft orbital and attitude control systems and space robotics. Leonard is also the organizer of the 'Mission Design, Formation Flying and Constellations' 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
- Elliott AJ, Gutierrez AN, Felicetti L & Fragonara LZ. (2025). In-orbit system identification of a flexible satellite with variable mass using dual Unscented Kalman filters. Acta Astronautica, 226
- Youhanna V, Felicetti L & Ignatyev DI. (2025). Systematic methodology for the preliminary design of future rotary VTOL martian aerobots. Acta Astronautica, 231
- Zaragoza Prous G, Grustan-Gutierrez E & Felicetti L. (2025). A decreasing horizon model predictive control for landing reusable launch vehicles. Aerospace, 12(2)
- D’Anniballe A, Felicetti L & Hobbs SE. (2025). Preliminary analysis and design of an optical space surveillance and tracking constellation for LEO coverage. Acta Astronautica, 231
- Jannin L & Felicetti L. (2024). Calibration and testing strategies to correct atmospheric effects on star tracking algorithms. Astronomy and Computing, 46
- Pomares J, Felicetti L, García GJ & Ramón JL. (2024). Spacecraft formation keeping and reconfiguration using optimal visual servoing. The Journal of the Astronautical Sciences, 71(2)
- Sun X, Chai S, Chai R, Zhang B, Felicetti L, .... (2024). Convex–concave optimization for a launch vehicle ascent trajectory with chance constraints. Journal of the Franklin Institute, 361(8)
- Bellome A, Sanchez Cuartielles JP, Felicetti L & Kemble S. (2023). Multiobjective design of gravity-assist trajectories via graph transcription and dynamic programming. Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, 60(5)
- Pineau D & Felicetti L. (2023). Design of an optical system for a Multi-CubeSats debris surveillance mission. Acta Astronautica, 210(September)
- Ramírez J, Felicetti L & Varagnolo D. (2023). Collision-avoiding model predictive rendezvous strategy to tumbling launcher stages. Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics, 46(8)
- Ramón JL, Pomares J & Felicetti L. (2023). Task space control for on-orbit space robotics using a new ROS-based framework. Simulation Modelling Practice and Theory, 127(September)
- Pomares J, Felicetti L & Varagnolo D. (2023). Multi-robot systems for space applications [Editorial]. Frontiers in Robotics and AI, 10
- Bellome A, Sanchez JP, García Mateas JC, Felicetti L & Kemble S. (2023). Modified dynamic programming for asteroids belt exploration. Acta Astronautica, 215
- Ramón JL, Calvo R, Trujillo A, Pomares J & Felicetti L. (2022). Trajectory optimization and control of a free-floating two arms humanoid robot. Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics, 45(9)
- Barles A, Bilkhu S, Boulnois A, Cuesta Arija FJ, Duarri Albacete G, .... (2022). Mission ORCA: orbit refinement for collision avoidance. Advances in Astronautics Science and Technology, 5(2)
- Machuca P, Ozaki N, Sa´nchez JP & Felicetti L. (2022). Dust impact and attitude analysis for JAXA’s probe on the Comet Interceptor mission. Advances in Space Research, 70(5)
- Barles A, Ceriotti M, Ciampa F & Felicetti L. (2021). An optimal steering law for sailing with solar and planetary radiation pressure. Aerospace Science and Technology, 118(November)
- Ramón JL, Pomares J & Felicetti L. (2021). Direct visual servoing and interaction control for a two-arms on-orbit servicing spacecraft. Acta Astronautica, 192(March)
- Felicetti L & Emami MR. (2018). Image-based attitude maneuvers for space debris tracking. Aerospace Science and Technology, 76
- Pomares J, Felicetti L, Pérez J & Emami MR. (2018). Concurrent image-based visual servoing with adaptive zooming for non-cooperative rendezvous maneuvers. Advances in Space Research, 61(3)
- Felicetti L & Emami MR. (2018). Vision-Aided Attitude Control for Space Debris Detection. Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics, 41(2)
- Felicetti L & Emami MR. (2017). Attitude coordination of multiple spacecraft for space debris surveillance. Advances in Space Research, 59(5)
- Felicetti L & Palmerini GB. (2016). Three spacecraft formation control by means of electrostatic forces. Aerospace Science and Technology, 48
- Felicetti L & Emami MR. (2016). A multi-spacecraft formation approach to space debris surveillance. Acta Astronautica, 127
- Felicetti L, Ceriotti M & Harkness P. (2016). Attitude Stability and Altitude Control of a Variable-Geometry Earth-Orbiting Solar Sail. Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics, 39(9)
- Pisculli A, Felicetti L, Sabatini M, Gasbarri P & Palmerini GB. (2015). A Hybrid Formulation for Modelling Multibody Spacecraft. Aerotecnica Missili & Spazio, 94(2)
- Pisculli A, Felicetti L, Gasbarri P, Palmerini GB & Sabatini M. (2014). A reaction-null/Jacobian transpose control strategy with gravity gradient compensation for on-orbit space manipulators. Aerospace Science and Technology, 38
- Felicetti L, Piergentili F & Santoni F. (2014). Thermosphere density and wind measurements in the equatorial region using a constellation of drag balance nanospacecraft. Advances in Space Research, 54(3)
- Felicetti L & Santoni F. (2014). Drag balance Cubesat attitude motion effects on in-situ thermosphere density measurements. Advances in Space Research, 54(3)
- Felicetti L & Santoni F. (2013). Nanosatellite swarm missions in low Earth orbit using laser propulsion. Aerospace Science and Technology, 27(1)
- Santoni F & Felicetti L. (2013). Attitude Dynamics and Control of Drag-Balance CubeSats. Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics, 36(6)