NSTGRO 2026

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Omar Alyousef
University Of Memphis
Polycatenated Architected Materials (PAM) for Origami-Inspired Space Docking Ports

Cade Armstrong
University Of Texas at Austin
Intelligent Multi-Agent Constellations for Cooperative Cislunar Operations

Laurel Barnett
Harvard University
Photonic SNSPD Readout and Feed Forward System for Improved Optical Communication Capabilities

Katie Barcak
William Marsh Rice University
Compact magnetic heat switch for thermal management of long duration low power exploration missions

Austin Bodin
University Of Colorado, Boulder
Rapid Robust Trajectory Design via Motion Funnels in Multi-Body Systems

William Bodnar
North Carolina State University
Near-field Thermophotovoltaics for Extraterrestrial Surface Power Generation

Diana Bolanos
University of California, Berkeley
Origami-inspired lattice architectures for robotic assembly and reconfiguration of modular space structures

Annalise Cabra
University Of Colorado, Boulder
Development of RF Hydrogen Plasma for Ion-Assisted Metal Processing of Lunar Regolith

William Callahan Eshleman
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Plume-Surface Interaction Experiments for Physics-Informed Ejecta Modeling

Alexander Chin
University of Washington
Adaptive Wire-Bent Compliant Attachment Aids for Small Satellite Docking and ISAM Applications

Eric Comstock
Georgia Institute of Technology
Vlasov Simulation Methods for Air Breathing Electric Propulsion

Rachel Constantin
University Of Tennessee
High-Speed Tomographic Background-Oriented Schlieren for Supersonic Retropropulsion Characterization

Andrew Dean
University Of Central Florida
Power and Mass Determination for Scalable Molten Salt Powered Lunar Outposts

Lars Erickson
University Of Minnesota
Embedded Normal Form Algorithms for Low-Cost Cislunar Navigation

Elsa Forberger
University Of Southern California
Capability-Aware Planning and Control of Multi-Robot Teams for Resilient Lunar Cargo Transport

Abigail Glover
Colorado School Of Mines
Standardizing Regolith Terramechanics Properties via Multi-Modal Characterization for Risk-Aware Navigation in Rovers

Emily Gokie
University Of Colorado, Boulder
A low-SWaP timing system for distributed in-orbit and planetary surface platforms

Elan Graupe
University Of Minnesota
Model-Driven Navigation for Robust Spacecraft Atmospheric Entry and Descent

Nikki Hart
William Marsh Rice University
Lifelong Plan Adaptation for Robot Manipulation Starting from One Example

Elizabeth Hoerber
Georgia Institute of Technology
High-Precision Landing Using Visual-Inertial Odometry

Theodore Houser
University Of Chicago
ECLiPSe: ElectroChemical Liquid Propellant Synthesis

Hannah Hutton
University of Michigan
RESIST: Radiation-Enabled Structural Improvement in Space Materials

Joseph Hwang
Purdue University
Experimental and Computational Study of Spray Cooling for Propellant Tank Thermal Management

John Lance
North Carolina State University
Predicting RDRE Thermal Loads and Performance through Accurate Detonation Modeling

Madison Lin
University of Colorado, Boulder
Autonomous Trajectory Anomaly Detection and Replanning in Cislunar Space

Breno Macarenhas Pontes
University Of Colorado, Boulder
Development of a Compact, Wide-Field X-ray Navigation Sensor for Simultaneous Multi-Pulsar Tracking

Emilia Mann
William Marsh Rice University
Advanced, 3D Knit Autonomous and Reconfigurable Soft Robots for Sustainable Planetary Surface Logistics

Alanis Matias-Perez
Colorado School Of Mines
Linking Thermophysical Properties and Electrochemical Behavior in Molten Regolith Electrolysis

Connor McCleery
Yale University
Ultrafast, High-Temperature Sintering of Mechanically Robust, Spectrally Selective Coatings for Cryogenic Propellant Storage

Eleni Mowery
University of Michigan
Multiphysics Simulation of Vapor Core Nuclear Reactors with MHD Power Conversion

Dillon Mulrooney
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Internal Pressure in Pyrolyzing Ablators for Atmospheric Entry

Robert Muldrow
University of Florida
Enabling Autonomous SmallSat Robotic Docking via Novel Electrical & Data Interface

Ari Nadelson
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Designing Solid State Batteries & Electrolytes for Low Temperature Applications

Karl Pederson
University Of Minnesota
Lightweight Metamaterial Smart Windows for Human Space Exploration

Abbey Piatt Price
Columbia University
Leveraging Protonic Solid-Oxide Electrochemical Cells for Process Intensification of H2 Recycling and In-Situ Resource Production

Rithvik Ramesh
California Institute of Technology
Integrated Opto-Electronically Mode-Locked Laser for Space Applications

Alexander Roush
Colorado School Of Mines
Adaptive Autonomy for Lunar Regolith Construction through Graph-Based Planning and Physics-Informed Surrogate Modeling

Samuel Russell
Johns Hopkins University
Particle concentration and surface topography during plume-surface interaction

Jamie Santos
Oregon State University
Dynamic Multi-Objective Prioritization for Autonomous Robot Teams on the Moon and Mars

Liam Smego
Georgia Institute of Technology
A Differential Geometric Approach to Autonomous Navigation

Truman Stoller
University Of Nebraska, Lincoln
Proposing an Advanced Heat Pipe: an Innovative Pumpless Flow Boiling Device

Tetiana Tymoshevska
University of Michigan
Liquid Droplet Radiator Enabled by an Electrospray Array

James Wall
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
A new model for cavitation in rocket engine turbopump inducers

Adam Zheng
Texas A&M University
Coupled Thermal-Structural Design of Self-Deploying Reflectors for Solar Energy Distribution to Lunar Surface Assets

Albert Zhou
California Institute of Technology
Master-Equation-Informed Reduced-Order Model for Non-Equilibrium Thermochemistry of Air in Planetary Entry

Eleanor Zimmermann
Michigan Technological University
Radiative Passive Processing Technology for Offworld Resource Separation (RaPPTORS)