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XDLab and SRGE Lab are research laboratories within the College of Engineering at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University focused on emerging aerospace technologies, artificial intelligence, robotics, sustainability, and space operations.
The labs bring together undergraduate and graduate students, faculty members, and external collaborators to work on interdisciplinary research projects involving space situational awareness, orbital debris mitigation, autonomy, robotics, digital twins, machine learning, and future space systems.
XDLab is led by Dr. Di Wu and focuses on advanced aerospace systems, intelligent modeling, AI, and sustainable space operations. SRGE Lab is led by Dr. Cagri Kilic and focuses on robotics, autonomy, guidance, navigation, control, and emerging engineering systems.
Together, the labs are committed to preparing the next generation of aerospace leaders through hands-on research, industry engagement, technical competitions, conferences, and interdisciplinary collaboration. ASTRA was created as an extension of that mission, providing a platform for students, researchers, industry professionals, and policymakers to come together and discuss the future of aerospace.
XDLab
XDLab
XDLab is led by Dr. Di Wu and focuses on advanced aerospace systems, intelligent modeling, AI, space sustainability, and future space operations. Much of the lab’s work centers on applying artificial intelligence, simulation, and data-driven approaches to complex aerospace problems, particularly in areas such as orbital debris, space traffic management, autonomy, and long-term sustainability of the space environment.
SRGE Lab
SRGE Lab
SRGE Lab is led by Dr. Cagri Kilic and focuses on robotics, autonomous systems, guidance, navigation, control, advanced sensing, and emerging engineering technologies. The lab supports hands-on work involving robotic systems, embedded technologies, controls, and the integration of intelligent systems into future aerospace and engineering applications.
Meet the Organizing Team
Dr. Di Wu
Dr. Di Wu is an Assistant Professor of Aerospace Engineering at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and the director of XDLab. His research focuses on space sustainability, orbital debris mitigation, space situational awareness, artificial intelligence, autonomy, robotics, and future space operations.
Dr. Wu’s work emphasizes the development of intelligent systems and simulation-driven approaches for understanding and improving the long-term sustainability of the space environment. His research often combines orbital mechanics, AI, machine learning, Monte Carlo modeling, optimization, chaos theory, and policy analysis to better understand issues such as orbital congestion, collision risk, debris generation, and space traffic management.
He also conducts research involving orbital mechanics, nonlinear dynamics, chaos theory, trajectory design, guidance and control, and advanced modeling techniques for future space systems. His work explores how these concepts can be applied to improve prediction, decision-making, and long-term planning for increasingly complex orbital environments.
Through XDLab, Dr. Wu leads a wide range of interdisciplinary projects involving space situational awareness, digital twins, intelligent decision-making, robotics, and advanced aerospace technologies. He mentors undergraduate and graduate students across research efforts involving AI-enabled policy analysis, sustainable space operations, autonomous systems, and future aerospace technologies.
In addition to his research activities, Dr. Wu actively supports student engagement through technical competitions, conference participation, industry collaboration, and workforce development opportunities.
Dr. Cagri Kilic
Dr. Cagri Kilic is an Assistant Professor of Aerospace Engineering at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and director of the Space Robotics and Generative Estimation (SRGE) Lab. His research focuses on space robotics, planetary rovers, autonomy, state estimation, navigation, perception, planning, and robot-terrain interactions for challenging environments such as the Moon and Mars.
Dr. Kilic specializes in developing localization, mapping, and navigation methods for robotic systems operating in GNSS-denied environments, with applications in planetary exploration, autonomous navigation, and multi-robot systems. His work often combines LiDAR, stereo cameras, inertial sensors, sensor fusion, perception algorithms, and advanced estimation methods to improve the performance and reliability of robotic systems in complex environments.
His research interests also include guidance, navigation, and control, rover mobility, terrain interaction, embedded systems, autonomous decision-making, and the integration of intelligent robotic systems into future aerospace missions. Through SRGE Lab, he leads hands-on projects involving rover platforms, quadruped robots, advanced sensing systems, and robotics technologies for future exploration missions.
Dr. Kilic earned his Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering from West Virginia University, where his research focused on localization and mapping methods for lunar and Martian rovers. He has received numerous honors, including the Fulbright Scholarship, Statler Fellowship, and a NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory Visiting Student Research Program Fellowship.
In addition to his research activities, Dr. Kilic actively mentors undergraduate and graduate students through technical competitions, conference participation, research publications, and hands-on engineering projects focused on robotics, autonomy, and future aerospace systems.
Kyah Adams
Kyah Adams is a graduate researcher at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, where she is pursuing a Master of Space Operations degree and is a member of XDLab. Her work focuses on space sustainability, orbital debris mitigation, space situational awareness, artificial intelligence, and policy.
Kyah’s research interests center on connecting engineering and policy through simulation, AI-enabled decision-making, and sustainable space operations. She is particularly interested in using AI, orbital modeling, and policy analysis to better understand issues such as orbital congestion, debris mitigation, collision risk, and the long-term sustainability of the space environment.
Her work within XDLab includes research related to space situational awareness, orbital debris modeling, governance, AI explainability, digital twins, and future space traffic management concepts. She is especially interested in helping bridge the gap between policymakers and engineers by making technical systems and simulation outputs more understandable and actionable for broader audiences.
In addition to her research responsibilities, Kyah leads outreach, communications, branding, marketing, and sponsorship efforts for XDLab. She plays a major role in conference planning, abstract development, industry engagement, event organization, and partnership outreach.
Kyah is also actively involved in conference presentations, workshop development, and initiatives related to the future of the space economy, sustainability, and intelligent space operations.
Tyler Barr
Tyler Barr is an undergraduate student at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University pursuing a degree in Aerospace Engineering with an Astronautics concentration. He is a researcher within XDLab, where his work focuses on space sustainability, artificial intelligence-enabled decision-making, AI explainability, guidance, navigation, and optimal control systems.
Tyler’s research interests center on the development of intelligent aerospace systems that can support more effective and interpretable decision-making in complex operational environments. His work includes the application of AI and advanced control methods to challenges involving future space operations, sustainability, and autonomous systems.
In addition to his academic and research responsibilities, Tyler serves as a Staff Sergeant and A-10 crew chief in the Idaho National Guard, where he supports aircraft maintenance and mission readiness operations.
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