Ruthvik Bommena

PhD Candidate @ UIUC | Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) | Astrodynamics | Private Pilot

About

Ruthvik Bommena is a PhD Candidate in Aerospace Engineering and a Graduate Research Assistant in the Computation, Optimization, Simulation, and Modeling of Orbiting Spacecraft (COSMOS) Laboratory at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). He holds a Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering from UIUC and a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Illinois Chicago. Beyond academia, Ruthvik also holds a Private Pilot License, which he earned from the Institute of Aviation at Parkland College.

Ruthvik Bommena specializes in astrodynamics, spacecraft trajectory optimization, optimal control theory, and multi-agent systems. His doctoral research primarily focuses on developing path-constrained optimal 6-DOF guidance and control algorithms for safe rendezvous, relative motion, and proximity operations for in-space servicing and assembly missions (ISAM) using multi-agent satellite swarms. Why does this matter? Imagine decommissioning a billion-dollar space telescope or a satellite just because it ran out of fuel. Or being limited by how much a rocket can carry to space. Instead, we can use ISAM to solve these problems. It’s like giving spacecraft a second (or third) chance at life through rocket science—promoting spacecraft reusability and space sustainability.

Please visit the Research page for more information.

Education

  • University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC)
    Ph.D. Aerospace Engineering (Expected Dec 2026)
    M.Sc. Aerospace Engineering (Aug 2021 – May 2023)

  • Institute of Aviation at Parkland College
    Private Pilot License (Aug 2022 – May 2023)

  • University of Illinois Chicago (UIC)
    B.Sc. Mechanical Engineering (Aug 2017 – May 2021)

Awards & Honors

  • Recognition of Excellence Award, UIUC (April 2026)
  • Associate Member, Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Honor Society (Elected Sep 2025)
  • John V. Breakwell Student Award, American Astronautical Society (Jan 2025)
  • Dean’s List, UIUC (Aug 2022 – May 2023)
  • Cum Laude, UIC (May 2021)
  • Dean’s List, UIC (Aug 2018 – May 2021)

Licenses & Certifications

  • Private Pilot License, Federal Aviation Administration (May 2023)
  • Graduate Specialization in Spaceflight Engineering, UIUC (May 2023)
  • Advanced Parallel Computing, National Center for Supercomputing Applications (Dec 2023)