Francisco Crespo

Biography & Research

Originally from Murcia, Spain, I am a mathematician with a deep passion for Geometry, Dynamical Systems, and the rich interplay between them.

I am an Associate Professor in the Aerospace Engineering Department at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, where I founded the Astrodynamics and Celestial Mechanics Lab (ASCEM Lab).

My research in astrodynamics and celestial mechanics integrates analytical and computational methods, specializing in spacecraft trajectory optimization and orbital dynamics. I previously developed spin-orbit models for asteroid-proximity operations as a postdoctoral researcher in Aerospace Engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder. Prior to that, I served as an Associate Professor at the University of Bío-Bío in Chile, leading projects funded by national and regional agencies.

More recently, I was awarded an International Visitor Fellowship to the Sydney Mathematical Research Institute (SMRI) at the University of Sydney in Australia, where I collaborated with Professor Holger Dullin. Our work establish a novel approach to relative equilibria in the Full N-body Problem.

Areas of Expertise

My areas of expertise are: Hamiltonian Dynamical Systems, Integrated Systems, Mechanical Geometry, Symplectic and Poisson Geometry, and Special Functions, with applications across to Space Mission Design and Astrodynamics, Celestial Mechanics, and Mathematical Biology.

Currently Teaching

This spring, I will teaching Spacecraft Attitude Dynamics at Embry-Riddle, and I look forward to engaging with students who are passionate about spaceflight mechanics.