Hiraku Sakamoto, Ph.D.

Expertise:

Structural dynamics. Geometrically nonlinear finite element methods and other computational structural analysis methods. Space structures design, especially design of gossamer systems (membrane and cable space structures). Attitude determination and control systems for spacecraft. Systems engineering and project management for small systems/projects.

Current research projects:

• 3U CubeSat OrigamiSat-1 - leading the project that demonstrates the deployment of a multi-functional membrane space structure as a Principal Investigator.
• ISAS/JAXA's solar sail project - analyzing deployment dynamics of large membranes, and designing spin-up control laws for contingency deployment sequence
• ISAS/JAXA's next generation space reflector - analyzing structures of a highly precise radio-frequency space reflector considering uncertainties in the system
• Systems Engineering for Cansat projects - providing systems engineering / project management trainings for other UNISEC universities (called SPindle for ARLISS2010)
  

JAXA's solar sail IKAROS (c) JAXA	JAXA's Astro-G telescope (c) JAXA	Cansat developed in 2009 by SDDL

Past research projects:

• Formation generation algorithms for distributed spacecraft systems - conducted experiment at International Space Station (at MIT)
• ADCS design for a small satellite - developed attitude determination and control systems (ADCS) for Citizen Explorer I (at Univ. of Colorado at Boulder)
• Wrinkle free suspension design for membrane space structures - analyzed static and dynamic characteristics of the proposed design (at Univ. of Colorado at Boulder)
• Deflection of inflatable space structures - analyzed bending characteristics of "balloon" structures (at Univ. of Tokyo)

MIT-SSL's experimental small satellite on board ISS (c) MIT-SSL	Citizen Explorer I (c) Colorado Space Grant Consortium	Transient dynamic analysis of a membrane using FEM	FEM analysis of inflatable tube's deflection

Lectures:

• Design Thinking Fundamentals (graduate level, 1Q)
• Engineering Design Challenge (graduate level, 1Q)
• Mechanical System Design (undergrad level, 1Q)
• Advanced Experiments for Mechanical Engineering (undergrad level, 1Q)
• Engineering Design Project A (graduate level, 2Q)
• Frontal Experiments for Mechanical Engineering (undergrad level, 2Q)
• Engineering Design Project B (graduate level, 3Q)
• Systems Engineering (graduate level, 3Q)
• Engineering Design Project C (graduate level, 4Q)