Sydney Dolan, a doctoral student at MIT, is creating a model to prevent satellite collisions that could damage critical infrastructure. With the increasing number of satellites in space, Dolan stresses the importance of treating space as a protected resource, similar to national parks on Earth. They warn that "There’s a real concern that you could be potentially desecrating a whole orbit if enough collisions were to happen," according to MIT News.
Dolan is a graduate student at MIT’s Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, focusing on space traffic management and autonomy. They are passionate about community-building, mentorship, and LGBTQ+ advocacy. Dolan’s interest in aerospace started in high school with rocketry and continued at Purdue University, where they founded Purdue Women in Aerospace. A key moment in their career was an internship at Nanoracks through the Matthew Isakowitz Fellowship Program, where they worked on a cubesat deployed to the ISS. This experience also led them to pursue graduate studies at MIT, as reported by MIT News.
Sydney Dolan is creating a system to help satellites avoid collisions in space, where over 11,500 satellites are currently orbiting Earth. Using reinforcement learning, game theory, and optimal control, this technology allows satellites to navigate independently, addressing the growing problem of space debris. As Dolan finishes their time at MIT, they reflect on how chance has shaped their journey, with their future goals now lying "it’s with the universe now." Dolan's work is poised to have a major impact on space management and beyond, as stated by MIT News.
