Edward Belbruno

Edward Belbruno (born August 2, 1951 in Heidelberg, Germany) is an artist, mathematician and scientist whose interests are in celestial mechanics, dynamical systems, dynamical astronomy, and aerospace engineering. His artistic media is paintings. Belbruno received his associate degree from Mitchell College, his Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics from New York University and his PhD in mathematics from New York University's Courant Institute in 1981, where his mentor was mathematician Jürgen Moser. He was employed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory from 1985 to 1990 as an orbital analyst on such missions as Galileo, Magellan, Cassini, Ulysses, Mars Observer, and others. His artwork in the NASA collection, Charles Betlach II collection, and exhibited in Paris, Rome, Los Angeles, Washington DC, New York City, Minneapolis, Shanghai, WeiHai, and Princeton.

Edward Belbruno
Belbruno lecturing to an astronomy club
Born (1951-08-02) August 2, 1951
Heidelberg, Germany
Alma materNew York University
Scientific career
FieldsCelestial mechanics
InstitutionsJet Propulsion Laboratory, 1985 - 1990
Websitewww.edbelbruno.com

During that time, he laid the foundations for the first systematic application of chaos theory to space flight originally called fuzzy boundary theory, which allows for the construction of very low energy paths for spacecraft.

In 1990 Belbruno applied his ideas for low energy transfer orbits to the Japanese lunar probe Hiten, which had been designed only for lunar swing-by and had suffered a failure of the Hagoromo lunar orbiter. The main Hiten probe lacked the fuel to enter lunar orbit using a conventional Hohmann transfer trajectory, but Belbruno was able to devise a ballistic capture trajectory that would put it in lunar orbit using only a negligible amount of fuel. The probe entered lunar orbit in 1991, the first time that Belbruno's ideas had been put to the test.

Belbruno had first proposed using a low-energy transfer orbit for a JPL probe in 1988. However, he faced a great deal of skepticism, and found himself in conflict with engineers. He had also expected to make no progress on Hiten, but the Japanese proved receptive to his ideas and called ballistic capture an "amazing result." He left JPL in fall of 1990 and took a position at Pomona College.[1]

Belbruno is president and founder of the company Innovative Orbital Design, Inc., based in Princeton, New Jersey and holds patents on routes in space. He consulted on the rescue of the Asiasat-3 communications satellite for Hughes, although a different trajectory was ultimately used for the rescue.

Belbruno's books include Fly Me to the Moon and Capture Dynamics and Chaotic Motions in Celestial Mechanics. He is a consultant with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and has made appearances on NBC's Today Show and NPR's 360. He was invited by TedX to give a talk on his art, math and science.

See also

References
  1. Belbruno, Edward. Fly me to the moon: an insider's guide to the new science of space travel. Princeton University Press, 2007.
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