Professor Massimiliano Vasile

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Personal statement

Professor Vasile key expertise is in computational intelligence applied to the solution of complex problems in aerospace engineering. He pioneered the use of global optimisation techniques for the design and optimisation space trajectories and the use of uncertainty quantification technique in conjunction with optimisation for the design and control of complex engineering systems. He developed innovative methods for optimisation under uncertainty based on evidence theory, called Evidence Based Robust Optimisation, he has worked on non-deterministic planning and goal allocation for robots, fault tolerant distributed navigation systems for spacecraft and nonlinear uncertainty quantification in space flight mechanics, with particular application to space debris and asteroid manipulation. He also developed innovative techniques for multi-objective optimal control and multi-objective optimisation under uncertainty. He is currently leading the Stardust network on asteroids and space debris, the UTOPIAE network on uncertainty treatment and optimisation in aerospace engineering and is part of the management team of the EPSRC ENCORE network on resilience in complex engineering systems.

Expertise

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Prize And Awards

Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society: Recipient; 29/10/2024
Innovative Computational Methods in Dynamical Astronomy: Recipient; 13/5/2023
AIAA Associate Fellow: Recipient; 1/10/2022
Senior IEEE member: Recipient; 27/9/2022
Best Paper Award in "Innovation in Smart Cities and Systems": Recipient; 1/9/2022
Best interactive paper award - IAC 2021: Recipient; 2021

More prizes and awards

Publications

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Publications

Multi-hypothesis sensor fusion with an epistemic kernel mixture filter: Parsonage Benjamin, Vasile Massimiliano; AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Specialists Conference 2026 (2026)
Optimisation of assembly sequences for modular solar power satellites under coupled orbit-attitude dynamics: Laino Maria Anna, Vasile Massimiliano; Nonlinear Dynamics (2026)
A self-supervised framework for space object behaviour characterisation: Groves Ian, Campbell Andrew, Fernandes James, Rodríguez Diego Ramírez, Murray Paul, Vasile Massimiliano, Nockles Victoria; Expert Systems (2026)
Uncertainty Quantification Study of a Re-entry Breakup: Williamson Tommy, Jilete Beatriz, Stevenson Emma, Lemmens Stijn, Vasile Massimiliano, Fossati Marco; (2026)
Generation of periodic orbits in the restricted three-body problem with a variational autoencoder: Litteri Walther, Gil Alvaro Francisco, Vasile Massimiliano, Rodriguez-Fernandez Victor, Camacho David; Celestial Mechanics and Dynamical Astronomy Vol 138 (2026); https://doi.org/10.1007/s10569-026-10299-x
An uncertainty-informed life-cycle assessment framework for additive manufacturing in aerospace applications: Alberti Cecilia Lanfredi, Wilson Andrew Ross, Vasile Massimiliano; Sustainability Vol 18 (2026); https://doi.org/10.3390/su18115617

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Research

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Professional Activities

2nd International Workshop on AI for Space Sustainability: Member of programme committee; 30/10/2024
1st International Workshop on AI for Space Sustainability: Member of programme committee; 2024
NASA Visit to the University of Strathclyde: Organiser; 8/11/2023
Italian Embassy Scientific Attaché Visit: Organiser; 7/11/2023
International Funding Opportunities for Space Research: Organiser; 20/12/2022
OAS Artificial Intelligence Workshop: Organiser; 14/12/2022

More professional activities

Projects

THISTLE - THe Invariant SeTs of the gLobal space Environment: Vasile, Massimiliano (Principal Investigator); 01-Jan-2026 - 01-Jan-2029
THe Invariant SeTs of the gLobal space Environment: Vasile, Massimiliano (Principal Investigator) Wang, Yirui (Co-investigator); 01-Jan-2026 - 01-Jan-2029
Analysis of the cis-lunar dynamics of space objects: Vasile, Massimiliano (Principal Investigator) Wang, Yirui (Co-investigator); 01-Jan-2026 - 01-Jan-2028
ESA GT17-682SD Manoeuvre Pattern Inference for Safe Operations: Vasile, Massimiliano (Principal Investigator); 26-Jan-2026 - 25-Jan-2028
PS25128 - Assess the utility of existing metrics and develop new metrics forspace environment: Vasile, Massimiliano (Principal Investigator); 30-Jan-2025 - 31-Jan-2026
Spatial Open-Source Intelligence (S-OSINT) in the Age of Misinformation and Disinformation: Schippers, Birgit (Principal Investigator) Riccardi, Annalisa (Principal Investigator) O'Donnell, Therese (Principal Investigator) Vasile, Massimiliano (Principal Investigator); Reliable and verifiable sources that can document human rights abuses or violations of international humanitarian law are crucial in legal contexts. Spatial open-source intelligence (S-OSINT), which is information that is gathered from publicly available digital data such as satellite or remote sensing data, has become an increasingly significant resource in human rights lawyering, from investigations and fact-finding missions through to courtroom evidence at trial. S-OSINT can bypass challenges in evidence gathering, especially where access to witnesses or sites is difficult.

Despite its considerable value, the use of S-OSINT raises concerns about its impact on data privacy and security, and about the validity and reliability of open-source information. Specifically, worries about the effects of misinformation—the inadvertent sharing of inaccurate content—and disinformation—the intentional sharing of inaccurate content with the aim of causing harm—can raise doubts about the trustworthiness of S-OSINT.

This project asks what best practice in the use of S-OSINT in legal contexts should look like, and it will create frameworks to prevent misinformation and disinformation from undermining the value of S-OSINT.

By investigating the legal, ethical and engineering challenges of S-OSINT, the project will establish rigorous standards that will inform a best practice framework for engineers, legal professionals, researchers, and other S-OSINT users. Its interdisciplinary approach supports the project’s ambition to advance the development of human-centred, ethical and lawful uses of digital and industrial technologies. With this focus, the project will also enhance the Global Challenges theme ‘Digital, Industry and Space’.

To deliver on its ambition, the project will (1) develop a Strathclyde-led interdisciplinary research programme that will create a best practice framework for the use of S-OSINT; (2) foster interdisciplinary and cross-sector collaborations with external partners, including international governmental and non-governmental organisations, legal professionals, and SMEs; and (3) prepare two external funding applications.

Funded by the University of Strathclyde's Institutional Funding for Research Culture Award, Cultures of Collaborative Research (Wellcome Trust). For further information please visit the Collaborative Research Cultures Web Page (https://www.strath.ac.uk/research/researchenvironment/collaborativeresearchcultures/).; 30-Jan-2025 - 28-Jan-2026