Our team focuses on the incorporation of multi-body dynamics for different space applications leveraging modern computation as well as visualization tools for an accurate understanding of these regions of space. 

Our research group is seeking outstanding candidates for PhD positions. Interested individuals should send their CV and a brief statement of their research interests and fit to Prof. Canales Garcia at canaled4@erau. Be sure to apply to the PhD program, specifying the research area in Dynamics and Control.

Undergraduate students interested in pursuing research credits or experience, including senior project or independent work, are encouraged to contact at canaled4@erau.edu to arrange a meeting. We have current opportunities in multiple research projects.

Relevant Professional News

• April 2025: Franco Criscola received the 'Shining Star' award from Embry-Riddle Student Employment.

• April 2025: Brian Baker-McEvilly received the SMART fellowship.

• April 2025: Brian Baker-McEvilly won an outstanding MS student award.

• April 2025: Mauro Palomo won an outstanding undergraduate student award

• April 2025: Seur Gi Jo completed his preliminary exam titled "Decoding Dynamics in the Circular Restricted Three-Body Problem via Systematic Trajectory Classification and Visualization". 

• April 2025: Franco Criscola completed his preliminary exam.

• April 2025: Luis Enrique Mendoza defended his PhD dissertation.

• April 2025: Annika Anderson defended her Masters Thesis titled "Coupled Dynamics in the Cislunar Region and Spacecraft Attitude Prediction in a Higher Fidelity Model".

• April 2025: Joseph Anderson defended his Masters Thesis titled "Utilizing Augmented Reality for Immersive Space Mission Design​". 

• March 2025: Franco Criscola landed an internship in AGI. 

• March 2025: Brian Baker-McEvilly got awarded AFRL Scholar. 

• March 2025: Vincent Stafford won the Goldwater Scholarship, being 1 of 441 students in the entire country.

• March - May 2025: Dr. Canales became a 2025 Christine Mirzayan Science and Technology Policy Fellow and joins the National Academies, joining the Space Studies Board Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences under the leadership of Dr. Colleen Hartman.

• February 2025: Dr. Canales presented "Current Research in the Space Trajectories and Applications Research Group” at NASA Langley (February 12th).

• January 2025: Dr. Canales (PI) awarded Air Force SBIR/STTR Phase I with Translunar Exports and Servicing.

• January 2025: Attended the 35th AAS/AIAA Space Flight Mechanics Meeting with Dr. Canales, Brian Baker-McEvilly, Seur Gi Jo, and Luis Enrique Mendoza.

• December 2024:  Presented our Augmented Reality prototype for trajectory design at the Space Power conference in Orlando with Joseph Anderson and Dr. Canales.

• December 2024: Presented our Augmented Reality prototype for trajectory design at I/ITSEC 2024, the world's largest modeling, training and simulation event, held in Orlando. Conference with Justin Schmitt, Barbara Chaparro, and Michelle Aros.

• November 2024: Mr. Brian Baker-McEvilly successfully defended his MSc thesis titled "A Low-complexity Algorithm for Trajectory Generation in the Three-body Problem".

• November 2024: Dr. Canales (AE), Axel Garcia (MIT Lincoln Laboratory), and Barbara Chaparro (Human Factors) get funded for  “Enhancing Autonomous Cislunar Mission Capabilities with Meta-Reinforcement Learning and Augmented Reality-Enabled Rendezvous, Proximity Operations, and Lunar Landing” in the 2024-25 COE/BCAAS Research Stimulus Awards.

• October 2024: Dr. Canales presented the state of research of the STAR group at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory. 

• October 2024: Franco Criscola presented the state of research of the STAR group at the Astrogator Summit IV at Ansys Government Initiatives (AGI). 

• October 2024: Franco Criscola presented "Mission concept for the study of solar particle radiation and corona from the cislunar environment at stable Earth-Moon L4 orbits" at the SEP Environment Monitoring and Forecasting workshop.

• October 2024: Dr. Canales obtained a certificate from NASA Open Science.

• September 2024: Franco Criscola and Dr. Canales got awarded travel support for the Operational and Exploration Requirements and Research Capabilities for SEP Environment Monitoring and Forecasting workshop.

• August 2024: Attended the AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Specialist Conference with Seur Gi Jo, Edison Martinez and Annika Anderson.

• August 2024: Session chair of Spacecraft Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) and Dynamical Systems Theory Applied to Spaceflight Problem in the 2024 AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Specialist Conference.

• July 2024: Host of Aitor Moriñigo and Marc Bermejo (Satlantis LLC), invited for a research seminar and to explore collaborations.

• May 2024: Session chair of Spacecraft GNC in the 4th IAA Conference on Space Situational Awareness.

• May 2024: Seur Gi Jo presented his research at the 4th IAA Conference on Space Situational Awareness.

• May 2024: AIAA Space Systems Technical Committee.

• May 2024: AIAA Astrodynamics Technical Committee.

• May 2024: Embry-Riddle Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) Faculty Fellowship and Leader of Tech Team Initiative.

• April 2024: Host of Dr. Ryne Beeson (Princeton University), invited for the research seminar series and organized "A Workshop on Analysis of the Global Solution Landscape in Spacecraft Trajectory Design using Python and the Software pydylan".

• March 2024: Annual USRA meeting and Region IV observer for the USRA Issues and Program Committee meeting in Washington D.C.

• March 2024: Visit at the Navigation and Mission Design Branch at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and showed our AR proottype demo during a talk: Revolutionizing Spacecraft Trajectory Design: Augmented Reality Approach for Space Mission Design and Surveillance with User-Centered Design Principles.

• February 2024: Dr. Canales gave a presentation “CubeSats at Earth-Moon L4/L5: astrodynamics and technology feasibility for studying Cislunar environment”, at the special technical session at the Small Satellites & Services International Forum, Málaga, Spain.

• November 2023: Dr. Canales visited the Puerto Rico Science Trust with ERAU team, helping in the establishment of collaborations with UPR Mayaguez.

• October 2023: Brian Baker invited to give a presentation at the special technical session AIAA ASCEND Space 2050, Planetary Protection & Space Security with Lockheed Martin: “Challenges, Solutions, and Observational Strategies for Enhanced Space Domain Awareness in Cislunar Space”.

• September 2023: Host of Dr. Davide Guzzetti (Auburn University), invited for the research seminar.

• September 2023: Dr. Canales gave a talk “Multi-Body Dynamics Research in Different Space Applications” at the Invited Seminar series in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at University of Florida.

• June 2023: Host of Dr. Susan Jewell, CEO of AvatarMEDIC and MMAARS for exploring collaborations.

• February 2023: Host of Dr. Kathleen Howell (Purdue University), invited guest for keynote of E-week.

• February 2023: Dr. Canales presented “Space trajectories and applications research”, at the Jack and Ann Waddey Invited Seminar in the Department of Aerospace Engineering at Auburn University.

• January 2023: Session chair of Dynamical Systems Theory Applied to Space Flight in the 33rd AAS/AIAA Space Flight Mechanics Meeting.

• June 2022: Dr. Canales presented “Incorporation of trajectory behaviors in the vicinities of different planetary moons using Finite-Time Lyapunov Exponent maps”, in a conference to the Panamerican Society of Modeling Methods in Engineering and Applied Sciences at the Galapagos islands.

• June 2022: Creation of Space Trajectories and Applications Research (STAR) group.

Students Fellowships and Awards

• Joseph Anderson: Winner of the NASA Florida Space Grant Consortium Masters Fellowship (2024).

• Lynette Ramirez: 2024 Best Poster Award Discovery Day at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

• Jesika Geliga-Torres: 2024 Patti Grace Smith Fellow and 2024 Intuitive Machines & Columbia Sportswear Advancing Women in Technology.

• SPARK Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University grants for Brian Baker, Annika Anderson, Joseph Anderson and Sebastian Doroba (2023).

STAR Group Grants and Awards

• November 2024, 2024-25 COE/BCAAS Research Stimulus Award: in collaboration with Drs. Barbara Chaparro (ERAU) and Axel Gracia (MIT Lincoln Labs) for the project titled "Enhancing Autonomous Cislunar Mission Capabilities with Meta-Reinforcement Learning and Augmented Reality for Rendezvous, Proximity Operations, and Lunar Landing."

• May 2024, Florida Space Grant Consortium (FSRP): In collaboration with Drs. Riccardo Bevilacqua (ERAU) and Steve Eikenberry (UCF) for the project titled "Lunar Occultations from Earth-Moon Equilateral Libration points via Solar sails and Concurrent Learning".