Contributing Students
Achira Boonrath
Graduate Researcher
Achira Boonrath is an Aerospace Engineering Ph.D. student in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University at Buffalo (UB). Achira received his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering from UB in 2022 and 2024, respectively. Since the summer of 2020, Achira has been doing research in the UB Space System Dynamics and Control Lab, supervised by Dr. Eleonora M. Botta. His primary research interest is the simulation and modeling of flexible space systems designed for active debris removal. Achira plans to work either as a university professor or industry research scientist.
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Dylan LaSalle
Graduate Researcher
Dylan LaSalle received a B.S. degree in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from the State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA, in 2024. He is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University at Buffalo. He holds a B.S. in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from the University at Buffalo. His main research interests are in spacecraft trajectory optimization, nonlinear control of spacecraft, and rendezvous and proximity operations. He previously worked with CUBRC, Inc. as a research intern focusing on development of space situational awareness software tools.
Liam Field
Graduate Researcher
Liam Field is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University at Buffalo (UB). He holds a B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. His main research interests are in the dynamics and control of tethered space systems. For his career, he plans to continue working in space vehicle dynamics and control in the private or public sector.
Neha Jois
Undergraduate Researcher
Neha Jois is majoring in both Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University at Buffalo (UB) and will graduate in May 2026. She will begin her Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder in Fall 2026, focusing on astrodynamics. She intends to pursue the thesis track, concentrating on orbital mechanics and deep space navigation.
Lab Alumni
Derek Bourabah
Graduate Researcher
Derek Bourabah studied Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University at Buffalo (UB), where he first obtained his Bachelor of Science and his Master of Science degrees in 2019 and 2021, respectively. He received his Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering in 2024. He is now part of the Blue Origin Lunar Permanence team.
Grant R. Hecht
Graduate Researcher
Grant R. Hecht received the B.Sc degree in aerospace engineering from the Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, MO, USA, in 2020. He received his Ph.D. from the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, where his research focuses on spacecraft trajectory design and optimization methods. He is also an NSF Graduate Research Fellow, has interned at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and has worked as a Pathways Student at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. He is currently working at Intuitive Machines.
Haley Parker
Undergraduate Researcher
Haley Parker studied Aerospace Engineering at the University at Buffalo (UB), where she received her Bachelor of Science degree in 2023. Prior to this, she received a Bachelor of Science in Cinema Production at Ithaca College in 2017. She is now an Aerospace Engineer in the Space Mission Analysis Branch at NASA’s Langley Research Center.
Alexa Schultz
Undergraduate Researcher
Alexa Schultz graduated with an Aerospace Engineering Bachelors from the University at Buffalo (UB) in 2024. Alexa pursued research in the UB Space System Dynamics and Control Lab her junior year, and participated in the AIAA student conference in 2023. She was awarded 2nd place for her paper and presentation on “Comparison of Capture Quality Indices for Net Based Debris Capture of the Zenit-2 Rocket” that was published in 2024. Currently Alexa is working on Missiles and Fire Control for Lockheed Martin as a Maintainability Engineer Associate and looks forward to progressing her career into flight test engineering in the future.
Chloe Saldanha
Undergraduate Researcher
Chloe Saldanha studied Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering at the University at Buffalo (UB) and received her Bachelor of Science in 2025. She currently works at General Dynamics Electric Boat as a Naval Architect Engineer.
Jason Zhang
Undergraduate Researcher
Jason Zhang studied Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University at Buffalo, where he received his Bachelor of Science degree in 2025. His undergraduate research focused on space debris removal systems. Jason participated in the 2025 AIAA Student Conference, where he presented his paper titled “Evaluation of Tethered Satellite System Models for Simulating Post-Capture Debris Towing”. He currently works in the nuclear field as a mechanical engineer.
Katarina Luker
Undergraduate Researcher
Katarina Luker is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering and Mechanical Engineering at the University at Buffalo, with an expected graduation in May 2026. She joined the Space Systems Dynamics and Control Lab during her sophomore year. She has previously interned at Moog Space and Defense in the Advanced Manufacturing group. Katarina will be joining L3Harris Technologies as a Test Engineer within the Space and Airborne Systems segment.
Principal Investigator
Eleonora Botta, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Born and raised in Italy, I studied at Politecnico di Milano and received a B.Eng. (Laurea) in Aerospace Engineering and a M.Sc. (Laurea Magistrale) in Space Engineering. I earned my Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from McGill University in 2018, and I have joined the University at Buffalo in 2019.
My research and teaching interests are in dynamics and controls, especially for space applications. I am a member of AAS and AIAA, serve as the vice-chair of the AIAA Space Tethers Technical Committee, am a member of the AAS Space Flight Mechanics Committee, and regularly review papers for several journals, including Acta Astronautica and the Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics.
