Zheng Hong (George) Zhu 

• Academician of the International Academy of Astronautics
• College Member of the Royal Society of Canada
• Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Canada, the Engineering Institute of Canada, the Canadian Society of Mechanical Engineering (CSME), and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
• Associate fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA)
• Editor-in-Chief of Acta Astronautica

Dr. Zheng Hong (George) Zhu is a leading authority in space robotics and computational control, serving as Professor & Tier 1 York Research Chair in Space Robotics and Artificial Intelligence in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at York University in Canada. His research spans spacecraft dynamics and control, tethered space systems, autonomous space robotics, computational control methodologies, and in-space additive manufacturing. He has published over 239 peer-reviewed journal papers and 186 conference papers, establishing an international reputation in astronautics and mechatronics.

His achievements have been recognized with numerous prestigious awards, including the 2024 Solid Mechanics Medal and 2021 Robert W. Angus Medal (CSME), the 2024 Gold Medal and 2019 Engineering R&D Medal of Ontario Professional Engineers Awards, and the 2021 York University President’s Research Excellence Award.

Keynote Title: Decentralized Collaborative Spacecraft Swarm for Capturing Uncooperative Targets in Active Debris Removal

Abstract： 

Autonomous robotic active debris removal is critical for ensuring the long-term sustainability of space activities. This research introduces a novel framework that employs a swarm of small, resource-limited spacecraft (e.g., CubeSats, Nanosats) instead of a single complex robotic platform for the capture and deorbit of tumbling, noncooperative debris. Inspired by the collective behaviors of ant colonies and bird flocks, the approach leverages a decentralized, behavior-based control architecture that enables spacecraft swarms to self-organize, explore, and collaboratively encapsulate targets. Individual agents execute aggregation and flocking behaviors to converge on the debris, while anti-flocking mechanisms optimize distribution for comprehensive surface coverage and shape capture. Limited onboard memory and local inter-agent communication facilitate synchronized capture actions through shared observations of debris landmarks. The result is a leaderless, interchangeable multi-agent system that enhances robustness, scalability, and mission resilience, while reducing cost and system complexity. This swarm-based paradigm advances the state of the art in active debris removal and provides a scalable, efficient pathway toward sustainable space operations.