Takahiro Sasaki

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) • Researcher, Research and Development Directorate

Dr. Takahiro Sasaki is a researcher in the Research and Development Directorate of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). His research interests include spacecraft attitude dynamics, formation flying, and robust control theory. He has also published more than 100 academic papers on these topics. Since joining the JAXA in April 2018, he has been engaged in research and development of spacecraft guidance, navigation, and control (GNC) and supported more than 10 satellite missions as a GNC expert and collaborated with NASA, ESA, and ISRO. He is a member of two active debris removal (ADR) projects, Commercial Removal of Debris Demonstration (CRD2) Phase 1 & 2, the aim of which is developing space debris removal as a new, sustainable space business.

Dr. Sasaki received his Ph.D. from Osaka Prefecture University, Japan, in 2018. He was with the Small Spacecraft System Research Center (SSSRC) as a GNC engineer from 2009 to 2018 and developed 3 small satellites including a CubeSat. From January to November 2017, he was a visiting scholar at University of Colorado at Boulder. From November 2017 to March 2018, he was with the Robotic Mobility Group, Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) as a visiting scholar.

As an enthusiastic participant, Dr. Sasaki has attended IAC eight times and presented his research. As the team leader of the International Project/Programme Management Committee (IPMC) Young Professionals (YP) Workshop in IAC 2021, Dr. Sasaki promoted the research on "Remote Collaboration" and contributed to the success of the workshop. He was also selected as one of the JAXA-sponsored students to attend the International Space Education Board (ISEB) Programme held at the IAC 2013 (Beijing) and 2015 (Jerusalem), taking on the role of student leader.

Based on his experience in space education activities at ISEB/IAC Beijing and Jerusalem, he has conducted a lot of space education activities in China, Israel, Vietnam, Cambodia and Japan, and also shares his knowledges with high school students from 32 countries in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) International Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Forum for high school students.

His hobby is traveling and he have traveled to more than 45 countries.

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