Dr. Timothy Sands is on the engineering faculty at Cornell University since 2020, where his research and teaching focus on astronautical engineering and systems engineering. From 2010 through 2020, he was an executive and senior leader of both military postgraduate universities (the Air Force Institute of Technology and the Naval Postgraduate School respectively), serving sequentially as Chief Academic Officer, Associate Provost, Dean, Associate Dean, and research center Director in addition to serving as a Fellow of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). He executed the DARPA Challenge for digital manufacturing analysis, correlation, and estimation (DMACE), investigating the science behind the burgeoning field of digital manufacturing.
During nearly three decades of active duty service in the U.S. Air Force, he performed space mission design and space experimentation for the Department of Defense (DoD) Space Test Program (STP) including the middle atmosphere high resolution spectrograph investigation (MAHRSI) flown in the pallet system on space shuttle mission STS-66; as well as the polar ozone and aerosol measurement (POAM) geophysical research mission flown on the French SPOT-4 satellite; and also the beryllium induced radiation experiment flown on Russian RESURS satellite. His other interesting space experiment missions include the polar orbiting geomagnetic survey flown on the defense meteorological satellite program; the remote atmospheric and ionospheric detection system on TIROS-J; and the solar wind interplanetary measurement flown on the NASA WIND satellite. He was the propulsion engineer of the Atlas space launch vehicle, the reliability engineer of the Centaur upper stage, and an electronic warfare engineer and operator, having flown over six-hundred hours in combat in four countries, being thrice decorated for single acts of combat gallantry and bravery in addition to other decorations for achievement and meritorious service.
His areas of academic expertise include space mission design; guidance, navigation, and control; estimation; adaption and learning; and nonlinear systems; and his minor fields include electrical engineering topics of electronic warfare and autonomous systems. His background represents a breadth of leadership experience in space experimentation across academia, the aerospace industry in general, and particularly the defense department. His research has been funded by DARPA, ONR, AFOSR, AFGSC, and AETC and has been awarded one shared patent in spacecraft attitude control.
Recognized for his teaching and mentorship at the Naval Postgraduate School and Air Force Institute of Technology, Dr. Sands remains broadly interested in social sciences disciplines of deterrence, command and control communications, and international relations as well as technical translation, particularly of engineering developments written in Chinese.
Autonomous robotics (particularly in CIS-lunar space): My goal is to apply a broad background to the problems faced by the nation and the world, particularly emphasizing student growth and expanded critical thinking abilities. A broad background has coalesced into the initial expression of a method of deterministic artificial intelligence, where physics-based mathematics are used to establish self-awareness augmented by both simple and optimal learning methods, and the results enhance system autonomous robustness in the face of significant damage applied to electrical systems, mechanical systems, and complex systems such as global temperatures and sales of electric vehicles.
Formal responsibilities include a suite of courses teaching complimentary skills necessary for robotic space systems, while two of the courses (analytic optimization and adaptive & learning systems) have broader application to a very large set of technical problems:
1) The course called Space Robotics teaches basic dynamics, materials and structural properties, and automatic control including structural interaction. The course is offered at the senior undergraduate level and also the professional level, tailored to working professionals in the space industry. The course is cross listed as mechanical and aerospace engineering (MAE 4816/5816) and systems engineering (SYSEN 5816). Students may also pursue this course by enrolling in MAE 6910 Independent Study and an MEng Project is also available by enrolling in MAE 6900 Special Investigations in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.
2) The course called Astronautic Optimization teaches students how space robots can maneuver with minimal fuel usage to grasp & grapple; and repair/refuel/resupply operational spacecraft. The course is offered at the professional level tailored to working professionals in the space industry and also at the doctoral level. The course is cross listed as mechanical and aerospace engineering (MAE 5830/6830) and systems engineering (SYSEN 5830/6830) and an MEng Project is also available by enrolling in MAE 6900 Special Investigations in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.
3) The course called Adaptive and Learning Systems teaches students how to design any kind of system (including but not necessarily space robots) that autonomously adapts to dynamically changing situations by either “adapting” or alternatively “learning”. Such skills are essential for autonomous space robots to interact with systems of unknown properties that are sometimes uncooperative. This broad, professional writing course allows students to bring any nature of system of their choice to the class (including from their thesis/dissertation/MEng project). During the four-month semester, the students write four professional manuscripts, rather than do homework and take tests. The course is offered at the professional level tailored to working professionals in the space industry and also at the doctoral level. The course is cross listed as mechanical and aerospace engineering (MAE 5280/6280) and systems engineering (SYSEN 5280/6280) and an MEng Project is also available by enrolling in MAE 6900 Special Investigations in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.
4) Students pursuing the professional master’s degree, the Master of Engineering (MEng) will notice graduate research projects complimenting the three courses listed above, permitting students to spend 1-2 semesters deeply dive into the topics of those courses with matching names: Space Robotics, Astronautic Optimization, and Adaptive and Learning Systems. A fourth available project emphases defensive maneuvers in space without using propellant.
All these courses have been designed to accommodate students of disparate backgrounds to contribute to the state of knowledge, and they are taught with my unique teaching style that blends the learning methods of the military with those of traditional academia. You will be challenged, but you will do well (see the list below of student-authored publications).
In service to the university and my colleagues, I remain interested in developing a new course in Defense Space Systems Engineering, while other courses of interest include MAE 4730/5730 Intermediate Dynamics, MAE 4780/5870 Feedback Control Systems, MAE 6060 Spacecraft Attitude Dynamics, Estimation, and Control, MAE 6760 Model Based Estimation, MAE 6780 Multivariable Control Theory, and MAE 6850 Hamiltonian Dynamics.
My goal is to make Cornell astronautics known particularly throughout the defense department as well as the commercial space enterprise including Varda Space Industries, SpaceX, Blue Origin, and others. I seek to align my personal research interests with student learning, actual spaceflight, and especially job placement visibility for students. Having already performed years of university service at very senior levels, I henceforth focus solely on student successes as Professor of the Practice.
2023 – Highly Cited Paper Applied Sciences (Impact factor 2.838)
2023 – Highly Cited Paper (2nd award, disparate article): Applied Sciences (Impact factor 2.838)
2022 – Excellent Reviewer, Journal of Guidance, Control, Dynamics, AIAA (Impact factor 2.048)
2022 – Excellence in Reviewing, Int. Journal Environment, Climate Change (Impact Factor 0.762)
2022 – Highly Cited Paper: #1 of top 5, Applied Sciences (Impact factor 2.838) Robotics/Automation section
2022 – Highly Cited Paper: #5 of top 5, Applied Sciences (Impact factor 2.838) Robotics/Automation section
2022 – Highly Cited Paper: Journal of Marine Science and Engineering (Impact factor 2.744)
2022 – Highly Cited Paper: Algorithms (Impact factor 2.267)
2021 – Excellence in Reviewing, Journal of Education, Society, Behavioral Science
2021 – Top Cited Paper: #2 of top 10, Applied Sciences (Impact factor 2.838) Robotics/Automation section
2021 – Top Cited Paper: #8 of top 10, Applied Sciences (Impact factor 2.838) Robotics/Automation section
2020 – Best Paper Award, Journal of Marine Science and Engineering (Impact factor 2.458)
2020 – Editor’s Choice Article Award, Algorithms (Impact factor 2.267)
2017 – U.S. Patent (61/840,010): shared with B. Agrawal and J. Kim of Naval Postgraduate School
2012 – Eminent Engineer – Columbia University, Engineering Honor Society (Tau Beta Pi)
2011 – Joint Service Warfare Award (for education)
2009 – Theodore von Kármán Award most outstanding science/engineering national defense contribution
2009 – International Scholar Laureate - Golden Key International Honor Society
2009 – Science and Engineering Achievement Award, Air Combat Command
2007 – Best Student Paper National Finalist, AIAA Guidance, Navigation & Control Conference
2003 – Air Medal for single act of heroism in combat, United States Air Force
2001 – Air Medal for single act of heroism in combat, United States Air Force
1999 – Air Medal for single act of heroism in combat, United State Air Force
