Bradley Wall

Dr. Bradley Wall received his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of North Dakota and his masters and Ph.D. degrees in aerospace engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He completed his Ph.D. dissertation on low-thrust trajectory optimization for space mission planning problems in 2007 under the direction of Bruce Conway. He is now an associate professor at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University where he teaches Dynamics, Space Mechanics, Spacecraft Attitude Dynamics and Control, and Optimization in the Aerospace Engineering department. 

Student Practicum, Caterpillar, Research Park, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2005 – 2007

Building geometries in Pro-E, finite element meshing in either Hypermesh or Cubit, running casting simulations in MAGMA, and complete finite element analysis in Abaqus.

Intern, Boeing, Aerodynamics Group – Stability and Control, Renton, WA, Summer 2001

Plotting true flight characteristics data versus predicted data for the 777-200 aircraft and analyzing any discrepancies.

Intern, NASA, Ames Research Center – Aeromechanics Branch, Moffett Field, CA, Summer 2000

Member of the research team for the Tiltrotor Aeroacoustic Model (TRAM) testing in the 40 by 80-foot wind tunnel.  Completed several projects including the project website.

AE313 - Space Mechanics

AE426 - Spacecraft Attitude Dynamics

AE427 - Spacecraft Preliminary Design

AE428 - Advanced Space Mechanics

AE436/MA433/AE526 - Introduction to Optimization

EGR101 - Introduction to Engineering

ES201 - Statics

ES204 - Dynamics

UNIV101 - College Success

Wall, B., “Using Finite Differences to Improve Shape-Based Approximation Methods for Low-Thrust Trajectory Design,” AIAA SciTech Forum, Orlando, FL, January 2020.

Wall, B., “Indirect Optimization of Low-Thrust Trajectories Using Homotopy,” AAS 19-201, AIAA/AAS Spaceflight Mechanics Conference, Maui, HI, January 2019.

Wall, B., "Dynamics: Supplement," iBook, Apple iBookstore, Ver. 1 May 2013. Ver. 2 May 2015.

Wall, B., Novak, D., "A 3D Shape-Based Approximation Method for Low-Thrust Trajectory Design," AAS 11-479, AIAA/AAS Astrodynamics Specialist Conference, Girdwood, AK, August 2011.

Wall, B., Pols, B., Lanktree, B., "Shape-Based Approximation Method for Low-Thrust Interception and Rendezvous Trajectory Design," AAS 10-196, AIAA/AAS Spaceflight Mechanics Conference, San Diego, CA, February 2010.

Conway, B. A., Wall, B., et. al, "Method and Solution for the 2009 Global Trajectory Optimization Contest," AAS 09-335, AIAA/AAS Astrodynamics Specialist Conference, Pittsburgh, PN, August 2009.

Wall, B., and Conway, B. A., “Shape-Based Approach to Low-Thrust Rendezvous Trajectory Design,” Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics, 2009, Vol. 32, No. 1, pp. 95-101.

Wall, B., and Conway, B. A., “Genetic Algorithms Applied to the Solution of Hybrid Optimal Control Problems in Astrodynamics,” Journal of Global Optimization, Aug 2009. Vol. 44, No. 4; p. 493.

Wall, B., “Shape-Based Approximation Method for Low-Thrust Trajectory Optimization,” AIAA/AAS Spaceflight Mechanics Conference, Honolulu, HI, August 2008.

Wall, B. J., Conway, B. A., “Developing a Systematic Approach to the Use of Genetic Algorithms for the Solution of Optimal Spacecraft Trajectory Problems”, AAS 07-161. AIAA/AAS Spaceflight Mechanics Conference, Sedona, AZ, February 2007.

Conway, B. A., Chilan, C. M., Wall, B. J., “Evolutionary Principles Applied to Mission Planning Problems”, Journal of Celestial Mechanics and Dynamical Astronomy, vol. 97, pp. 73-86, 2007

Wall, B. J., and Conway, B. A., “Near-Optimal Low-Thrust Earth-Mars Trajectories via a Genetic Algorithm”, Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics, vol. 28, no. 5, pp. 1027-1031, 2005