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Metaheuristic Planning for Vehicle Fleets With Kinematic, Uncertain, And Battery Constraints
Get PDFThe planning of vehicle actions and movements is becoming increasingly important in daily life. With the growing list of potential and current applications of autonomous planning, the field is faced with an ever-growing list of complications. These complications make the task of producing efficient plans increasingly difficult. This research studies and develops solutions for a few of the most important vehicle planning applications in recent years.
First, there is the planning of vehicle motion while considering the physical limitations of the vehicle. For many vehicles, for example, cars, airplanes, and boats, the biggest limitation is the inability to pan directly to the left or right. Although so many vehicles have this limitation, motion planning under this constraint is a difficult problem to solve efficiently. This research augments several state-of-the-art motion planning algorithms with the constraints imposed by these vehicles without sacrificing any performance penalty compared to the original algorithms.
Next, this dissertation studies mission planning under vehicle constraints and when the location of the vehicle is not known exactly. This problem arises when an autonomous vehicle must pass through a region where global positioning system (GPS) is denied or unreliable, for example, urban environments where large buildings interfere with GPS. Not knowing exactly the position of the vehicle leads to complications when attempting to ensure that the vehicle will avoid hitting walls or triggering other undesirable outcomes. This research further augments the mission planning algorithms from before to solve this problem. The resulting algorithms far exceed previous work in terms of reliability and mission optimality.
The final development given in this dissertation is the design of routes for fleets of battery electric vehicles with the goal of monitoring a given region. Examples of when this application arises are monitoring a protected building with autonomous robots and law enforcement patrolling while driving electric vehicles. This research derives a formulation of the electric vehicle constraints that considers more aspects of the problem than previous works on the topic. Several algorithms are derived to solve the problem and show the benefits of the proposed constraint formulation
Adapting to Change in Amenity-Oriented Communities: Innovative Strategies for Shifting Social and Environmental Needs
No full textAmenity-oriented communities are places with significant and desirable natural amenities that are highly visited and plentiful within the Intermountain West. These high rates of visitation create complex challenges such as congestion in recreation spaces and in towns and increase costs of living. These communities are typically rural and often do not have the resources, funding, or infrastructure to combat these challenges. Although tourists provide financial stability and other amenities to these towns, local wellbeing is highly impacted. Outdoor recreation and the nature connections derived from outdoor experiences are major contributors to wellbeing in amenity communities. This research investigates the changes that are experienced in amenity-oriented communities and what strategies are most applicable to local government officials. This research was conducted in Springdale, Utah, the gateway to Zion National Park, and Roslyn and Cle Elum, in Kittitas County, Washington, near the Cascade Mountains.
The first paper of this thesis discusses the nexus of tourism and climate change on outdoor recreation and wellbeing. This paper draws upon interviews in Upper Kittitas County and survey data in Springdale that provide insight into amenity community wellbeing. These data were analyzed and found that nature connections are often made through outdoor recreation experiences and therefore contribute to community wellbeing. This community wellbeing is affected by seasonal variability, increased weather hazards such as flooding and wildfire, decreased feelings of community connection, and an increase in amenity migrants (people that move to places to be closer to desired amenities). The second paper builds upon the first paper and provides strategies and resources to support community engagement in these communities. Town leaders had expressed the need for resources on how local officials can engage locals in planning processes. Therefore, the Community Outreach, Navigating Networks, and Engaging Communities Toolkit (CONNECT) was made. Interviews were conducted with 10 local officials, 5 in each community. These interviews provided feedback on different frameworks, worksheets, and other ‘tools’ that are aimed at engaging locals. Results showed that toolkits were helpful for town leaders. Further research can help to understand whether resources are truly helpful when they are implemented. Together these papers highlight the complex changes that amenity-oriented communities face and the importance of community connections and development that build community resilience
Three-Dimensional Radiation Patterns of CubeSats and Link Budget Without Attitude Control
No full textAs CubeSat missions demand higher data rates, directional patch antennas have increasingly replaced traditional monopole or dipole antennas, and ensuring omnidirectional coverage—especially under tumbling conditions—has become critical. To address this, we developed a three-dimensional radiation pattern measurement system that enables the evaluation of antenna characteristics across all possible CubeSat attitudes. To apply these measurements to practical operations, we introduce the Coverage Ratio of CubeSat Attitude (CRCA), which intuitively represents the percentage of satellite orientations that exceed a given required gain. In this study, we apply this methodology to the S-band downlink antenna system of VERTECS, a 6U CubeSat developed by the Kyushu Institute of Technology in collaboration with other institutions. The measured results show that a gain of –7.0 dBic or higher is achieved in 50% of all possible attitudes, demonstrating sufficient coverage under tumbling conditions. Incorporating this value into the link budget confirms that stable communication can be maintained with a positive link margin even in the worst-case scenario. These findings highlight the importance of three-dimensional antenna characterization and system-level evaluations in ensuring reliable CubeSat communications. Future work includes in-orbit validation of the link budget and estimation of the expected downlink data volume through combined orbital and attitude simulations
Expanding CubeSat Horizons: A 27U Mission to Sun-Earth L5
Get PDFCubeSats have gained increasing popularity in the aerospace industry due to their compact, modular designs, which offer a cost-effective and versatile solution for orbital applications. Historically limited to low Earth orbit (LEO) due to propulsion and communication constraints, CubeSats are now being explored for deeper space missions. The Icarus mission seeks to demonstrate that a 27U CubeSat can operate at the Sun–Earth Lagrange Point 5 (L5), leveraging recent advancements in efficient electric propulsion and deployable subsystems to monitor solar activity and relay data back to Earth. By capitalizing on a standardized CubeSat form factor with commercial off-the-shelf components, Icarus offers a significantly more affordable approach to L5 operations than traditional missions. Positioned at L5, the CubeSat will support early detection of solar events such as coronal mass ejections (CMEs), contributing to improved space weather forecasting. This mission also serves as a technology demonstration, validating the feasibility of long-duration CubeSat operations in deep space environments
Advancing Space Weather Research With the Next-Generation Space Weather Probes
Get PDFAccurate characterization of ionospheric conditions is essential for improving space weather forecasting and mitigating its impacts on communication, navigation, and space-based systems. Utah State University’s Center for Space Engineering has developed the second-generation Space Weather Probes (SWP2) instrumentation suite, optimized for deployment on small satellite platforms. Building upon experience from the Scintillation Prediction Observations Research Task (SPORT) mission, SWP2 integrates advanced Langmuir probes, floating potential double probes, and an RF impedance probe onto a compact, FPGA-controlled electronics module, conforming to the standard 9×9 cm CubeSat form factor. The design provides complementary diagnostic measurements of electron density, electron temperature, electric fields, and plasma waves, leveraging high-rate sampling and onboard spectral analysis capabilities. Ground-based data handling utilizes the CCSDS Space Packet Protocol and the Binary Reconfigurable Input Stream Converter (BRISC) software to ensure precise timing, rapid validation, and near-real-time visualization. Laboratory calibrations demonstrate the instrument’s exceptional sensitivity and low noise characteristics, confirmed by in-orbit observations of fine-scale equatorial plasma bubble structures during SPORT. This paper presents the design evolution, operational theory, measurement performance, and preliminary flight results of the SWP2 suite, highlighting its potential to significantly advance ionospheric and space weather research using small satellite platforms
ORPHEUS: A UK-Led Space Mission to Characterize the Space Domain and Advance Future Concepts for Defense
No full textThe ORPHEUS mission is a collaborative research mission between the UK Defence Science Technology Laboratory (Dstl), the US Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), and the Canadian Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) to characterise the space domain and advance future concepts for defence.
The ORPHEUS mission comprises two CubeSats flying in a lead-trail configuration in a near-polar low earth orbit and aims to launch in 2027. This is a follow-on mission to the Coordinated Ionospheric Reconstruction Cubesat Experiment (CIRCE) and Prometheus-2 CubeSat missions that were lost due to a launch failure at the start of 2023, combining and updating the payload suites and objectives of these previous missions. The ORPHEUS mission will host a suite of cutting-edge CubeSat payloads, which will collectively and synergistically characterise the dynamic space environment, detect or identify objects of interest based on their spectral signatures and aim to improve space weather forecasting and now-casting models. Mirroring the payloads across both satellites enables a short temporal latency between observations.
The ORPHEUS mission payload suite includes the Triple Tiny Ionospheric Photometer (Tri-TIP), Winds Ions Neutral Composition Suite (WINCS), TOPside ionosphere Computer Assisted Tomography instrument (TOPCAT II), Radiation Monitor (RadMon 3.0), and Hyperspectral Imagers. Building on the science plans developed for the CIRCE mission and Prometheus-2, the ORPHEUS mission seeks to explore complementary science research between the dedicated Space Environment payloads and the Hyperspectral Imaging payloads. Additionally, evolutions to the design of the Tri-TIP mirror configuration and a potential to vary the spacecraft separation distance during the mission expands the potential scientific experimentation and measurements conducted throughout the mission lifetime.
This paper will cover an overview of the mission, development status, its research objectives and planned outcomes and an exploration of the innovative science achievable by individual payloads and through the combination of collected datasets
OrbitCare: A Universal Autonomous In-Orbit Platform for Manufacturing, Servicing, and Debris Mitigation
Get PDFOrbitCare is a proposed orbital infrastructure enabling scalable, sustainable, and cost-effective in-space servicing, manufacturing, and assembly through a modular system architecture comprising an Orbital Manufacturing Hub (OMH) and a fleet of free-flying WorkSat servicing satellites, all integrated via a standardized Servicing Interface Standard (SIS). This paper presents the technical architecture, subsystem design, trade studies, use cases, and development roadmap for OrbitCare. The motivation stems from the current lack of persistent infrastructure in orbit, which renders satellites single-use assets with limited repair or upgrade capabilities. OrbitCare addresses this by combining a permanent hub with reusable robotic satellites to extend spacecraft lifespans, reduce orbital debris, and construct large structures not feasible to launch fully assembled. The OMH functions as a central depot with robotic arms, docking bays, and solar power generation, while WorkSats carry 7-degree-of-freedom robotic arms, vision-based autonomous navigation, and propulsion. The SIS ensures interoperability between modules and client spacecraft through unified mechanical and electrical interfaces. Trade studies informed design decisions on robotic configurations, propulsion types, additive manufacturing methods, autonomy levels, and relative navigation sensors. Control algorithms such as visual servoing and model-predictive control are outlined for coordinated operations across multiple servicing platforms. Use cases span immediate applications like refueling and repair of aging satellites, mid-term goals like on-orbit construction of space telescopes or solar arrays, and long-term extensions into cis-lunar and Martian orbital servicing. Notional cost estimates place the development and deployment of the initial system (OMH and WorkSats) at a few hundred million USD, economically justified for high-value assets such as USD 200M-class satellites or unique science platforms. Business models including pay-per-use and subscription services, are discussed, along with the importance of open SIS standards to drive industry-wide adoption and interoperability. By establishing a serviceable, modular, and reusable space infrastructure, OrbitCare lays the groundwork for a sustainable and scalable orbital economy, forming the backbone for long-term, creative, and routine activity in space, and marking a first step toward platform-based orbital services and the broader vision of orbital civilization. Given the breadth of the system, this paper consolidates a substantial amount of research and technical detail, apologies in advance for the density
The Pharmacology of GPR171 Ligands in the Treatment of Pain: An In Vitro and In Vivo Preclinical Characterization
Get PDFOpioids are addictive, ineffective for long-term treatment, readily produce withdrawal and tolerance, and can cause overdose and death. These properties have contributed to an epidemic of addiction and overdose, which continues unabated in the United States. Therefore, new drugs to treat acute and chronic pain are needed. Opioids bind to receptors belonging to a superfamily of proteins called G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). GPCRs are the most commonly targeted proteins among FDA-approved drugs. As such, under-researched GPCRs are a viable source of new targets in the field of drug development. One such underexplored GPCR is GPR171. Studies have demonstrated that a drug for GPR171 reduces pain in mice subjected to chronic and acute pain conditions. The goal of this current work was to explore further this receptor\u27s potential to treat pain. To do this, I first tested the ability of GPR171 drugs to affect opioid analgesia in mice. I show that one drug, called MS15203, increases morphine analgesia in mice. Next, I assessed if MS15203 activates a region of the brain associated with pleasure and addiction and whether it increases addiction-like behaviors in mice. I show that MS15203 does not activate this brain region and fails to elicit addiction-like behaviors. Lastly, I tested several new potential GPR171 drugs in cultured brain cells to assess their impact on two cellular pathways: G protein signaling and β-arrestin signaling. I found that two new drugs, compounds 5 and 7, activate G protein signaling more than MS15203. This is a promising result because opioid drugs that activate G protein signaling more than β-arrestin signaling (e.g., morphine) have increased analgesia and lessened side effects than opioids that favor β-arrestin signaling (e.g., fentanyl). These experiments demonstrate that MS15203 enhances the pain-relieving effects of morphine with minimal risk of addiction. Additionally, I identify two potential GPR171 drugs that preliminary data suggests may be more effective than MS15203. This work contributes to the growing body of evidence that targeting GPR171 with GPR171 drugs holds promise for the treatment of pain
The Heart of the Matter: An Action Research Case Study on Co-Creating Observation and Reflection Tools to Provide Effective and Meaningful Professional Development for Sixth-Grade Mathematics
No full textProviding effective professional development for mathematics is a key area of research in education due to the ongoing need for coherent, collaborative, and active learning opportunities to sustain educators through policy changes and curriculum shifts. Specifically, professional development must be meaningful and authentic to the local setting and participants while utilizing the global vision of mathematics education and teacher professional learning. The purpose of this action research case study was to: (a) collaborate with a group of stakeholders—made up of sixth-grade teachers, instructional coaches, and district mathematics specialists—to develop an observation and reflection tool and protocol specific to sixth-grade instruct9ion for a new mathematics curriculum; and (b) investigate the process of using a collaboratively structured, participatory action research design to provide professional development and learning specific to mathematics instruction for sixth grade. Stakeholders participated in pre- and post-planning meetings and two action research cycles consisting of collaborative meetings, observations and reflections, focus group interviews, and individual interviews.
Data analysis included a collaborative, qualitative, and iterative approach to collect and analyze multiple data sources. These sources included: (a) documents from the collaborative, participatory action research (CPAR) meetings, (b) exit tickets from the CPAR meetings, (c) artifacts from the development of the observation and reflection tool and protocol, (d) audio recordings and subsequent transcription from focus group and individual interviews, and (e) notes and memos from the researcher\u27s journal.
Findings from this study were practical for two areas of research that need further development: co-creating the product of an observation and reflection tool and accompanying protocol and using this process to provide intensive, ongoing, and effective PD for educators. This study contributes to the understanding that transformative learning is more likely to occur if teachers and coaches purposefully collaborate to identify local problems, create and test solutions, and reflect on the learning process together
Temperature Effects on Fruit Doubling and Bloom Prediction in Tart Cherry
Get PDFTart cherry (Prunus cerasus) is a key horticultural crop in Utah. Extreme summer heat and cold weather in late spring are challenges to tart cherry production causing economic losses. These problematic weather conditions are influenced by the local landscape and are exacerbated by changing climate. This research explores (1) the impact of summer heat stress on fruit deformities, and (2) the accuracy of temperature-based predictions of spring bud development. High temperatures and water stress after harvest are known to cause a deformity known as twin or double fruits, resulting in unmarketable fruit. This disorder has been studied in other orchard crops, but not in tart cherry. Large, portable structures were used to cover mature tart cherry trees in greenhouse plastic for short intervals post-harvest, to determine when heat stress causes doubling. The following year, double fruit number was observed both on the tree and in the machine-harvested product. Over two seasons, the highest doubling occurred when trees were stressed in the 5th week after harvest, indicating a target period for alleviating orchard heat stress. Yearly differences were seen in the total amount of double fruit. Models use local temperature data to predict spring flower bud development and guide management decisions in the event of a late spring frost. The widely known Utah Model was developed in the 1970s and other models have been developed since. We observed spring bud development in tart cherry orchards from 2020 to 2024. These field observations were used to test the validity of multiple existing models. We found that the Utah Model performed the best, but model performance varied by year and location showing the need for improvements. These studies lay a basis for future work in heat stress and bloom prediction in tart cherry as well as other fruit crops. By deepening our understanding of how temperature influences plant physiology, we can create better tools and management plans to combat the uncertainty of our changing climate