Executive team

Irfan Rashed

Senior Research Associate, Hawaiʻi Institute of Geophysics and Planetology (HIGP)

About

Mohammed Irfan Rashed is a Senior Research Associate at the Hawaiʻi Institute of Geophysics and Planetology (HIGP), University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, and joined the Hawaiʻi Space Flight Laboratory in summer 2025. Rashed's research focuses on autonomous small-satellite constellations and space situational awareness in cislunar space, including state estimation and observability in the Earth–Moon three-body regime.

Rashed's earlier work, at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), spans constellation design and autonomy for missions from low Earth orbit to cislunar space, and attitude determination for nanosatellites. At HSFL, Rashed contributes to the HITechSat-1 platform and the Neutron-3 cislunar CubeSat swarm concept.

Rashed2@hawaii.edu · Google Scholar

Research

  • Autonomous small-satellite constellations
  • Cislunar space situational awareness
  • State estimation and observability (three-body regime)
  • Constellation mission design and operations
  • Nanosatellite attitude determination

Papers

  1. M. I. Rashed (2026). "Constellation-Level Observability and State Estimation Limits for Space Situational Awareness in the Cislunar Three-Body Regime", Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance Technologies (AMOS) Conference. https://amostech.com/TechnicalPapers/2026/Poster/Rashed.pdf
  2. M. I. Rashed (2026). "Design Mechanism Framework for Autonomous Small Satellite Constellations – A NewSpace Outlook".
  3. M. I. Rashed, H. Bang (2025). "In-Orbit Target-Based Autonomy for Enhanced Stability of the Small Satellite Constellations in Cislunar Space", International Journal of Aeronautical and Space Sciences, 1–24.
  4. M. I. Rashed, H. Bang (2025). "Enhanced Stability of Cislunar-Based Small Satellite Constellations via Preferential-EKF", IEEE Access, 13, 132237–132258.
  5. M. I. Rashed, H. Bang (2024). "A study of cognitive computing in nanosatellite constellations for synergic autonomy in CisLunar space", Advances in Space Research, 73(11), 5614–5664.
  6. M. I. Rashed, H. Bang (2024). "A Study of Cislunar-Based Small Satellite Constellations with Sustainable Autonomy", Aerospace, 11(9), 787.
  7. M. I. Rashed, H. Bang (2023). "Development of Sustainable Autonomy of Small Satellite Constellation for CisLunar Space", Proceedings of the International Astronautical Congress (IAC 2023).
  8. M. I. Rashed, H. Bang (2023). "Normalizing in-orbit anomalies and retaining stability using preferential-EKF for autonomous small satellite constellations in CisLunar space", 23rd International Conference on Control, Automation and Systems (ICCAS).
  9. M. I. Rashed, H. Bang (2023). "Autonomous mission planning and operations for optimal deployment of small satellite constellations in cislunar space", Space Operations: Invest in Space to Serve Earth and Beyond, 583–647.
  10. M. I. Rashed, H. Bang, N. McCoun (2023). "Parametric Assessment to Fully Deploy Autonomous Small Satellite Constellations for CisLunar Space", Proceedings of the Annual Small Satellite Conference.
  11. M. I. Rashed, H. Bang (2022). "A study of autonomous small satellite constellations for disaster management and deep space strategy", Remote Sensing, 14(23), 6148.
  12. M. I. Rashed, H. C. Bang (2022). "Design and optimization of an Autonomous Constellation of Small-satellites for LEO and Beyond", Proceedings of the 36th Annual Small Satellite Conference.
  13. M. I. Rashed, H. C. Bang (2022). "Strategies for autonomous small-satellite technology transfer from LEO to CisLunar space", 22nd International Conference on Control, Automation and Systems (ICCAS).
  14. M. I. Rashed, H. Bang (2022). "Role of AI in nano-satellite constellations for autonomy", Proceedings of the 11th Nanosatellite Symposium (UNISEC), Istanbul, Turkey.
  15. M. I. Rashed, H. Bang (2014). "Strategic vision, infra-structure and enhanced configurations for developing cost-effective nano-satellites for future deep space missions", 32nd AIAA International Communications Satellite Systems Conference.
  16. D. Lee, K. M. Lee, M. I. Rashed, H. Bang (2013). "An antenna tracking profile design for communication with a ground station", International Journal of Aeronautical and Space Sciences, 14(3), 282–295.
  17. M. I. Rashed, S. Lim, H. Bang (2013). "Numerical modeling, testing and bias drift analysis of MEMS based three-axis gyroscope for accurate angular rate estimation for attitude determination of nano-satellites", 13th International Conference on Control, Automation and Systems (ICCAS).
  18. M. I. Rashed, D. Lee, H. Bang (2013). "A detailed study on statistical analysis of MEMS based attitude determination system for nano-satellites using advanced data synthesis with compatible sensor combination", 13th International Conference on Control, Automation and Systems (ICCAS).
  19. M. Nunes, P. Kline, I. Rashed, P. Englert, W. Edmonson (2026). "Neutron-3: A Distributed CubeSat Swarm for Three-Dimensional Radiation Field Reconstruction in Cislunar Space," Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance Technologies (AMOS) Conference, #26408. https://amostech.com/TechnicalPapers/2026/Poster/Nunes1.pdf
  20. S. Kim, M. Nunes, M. I. Rashed, L. Yoneshige, G. Guerrero, S. Ginoza, P. Kline (2026). "HITechSat-1: A Rapidly Integrable 3U Platform for University CubeSat Missions," 40th Annual AIAA/USU Conference on Small Satellites, SSC26-P4-87. https://doi.org/10.26077/5ezb-q858

All team members