Dario Modenini

POSITION

Dario Modenini is Associate Professor at University of Bologna – Aerospace Campus Forlì - in the field of Aerospace System since 2023.

PREVIOUS POSITIONS

Since 2024, he has been Coordinator of the PhD Programme in Science and Technology for Aerospace and MarineEngineering (formerly PhD Programme in Aerospace Science and Technology), University of Bologna.

From 2020 to 2023, he was Tenure-Track Assistant Professor (RTD-B) in Aerospace Systems at the University of Bologna.

From 2015 to 2020, he was Fixed-Term Assistant Professor (RTD-A) in Aerospace Systems at the University of Bologna.

From 2012 to 2015, he was Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Department of Industrial Engineering and at the Interdepartmental Centre for Industrial Aerospace Research (CIRI Aerospace), University of Bologna.

RESEARCH PROJECT LEADERSHIP Italian Space Agency (ASI)

• CuBACO – CUbesat Board for Avoiding COllisions – Principal Investigator (since 2026).
• u-FASTER – ultra-Fine Attitude STabilization for EarRth Observation – Principal Investigator (2024–2025).
• ABACO – Autonomous Board for Avoiding COllisions – Unit Leader (2022–2023).
• CUSP – CUbesat Solar Polarimeter – Unit Leader for Mission Analysis (since 2023).
• BISS – Bidirectional IoT Satellite Service – Unit Leader for Mission Analysis (since 2022).
• INNOVATOR – INtersatellite liNk fOr graVity and ATmOspheRic Science – Unit Leader for Mission Analysis (since 2024).

European Space Agency (ESA)

• OB-ASTRA – On-Board Autonomous Space Traffic Risk Avoidance – ESA Contract No. AO/1-11645/23/UK/AL/TP – Unit Leader (since 2024).
• ADCS Testbed – Design, development, and installation of a dynamic test facility for CubeSat Attitude Determination and Control Systems at the ESA-ESTEC AOCS Pointing Laboratory – ESA Contract No. 4000140007/22/NL/MGu – Principal Investigator (2022–2024).

PARTICIPATION IN RESEARCH PROJECTS European Space Agency (ESA)

• SORAYA – Solar System Relay Communication Network – ESA Contract No. 4000139411/22/NL/CRS (2022–2024).
• TESLA – 2-Leg Deep Space Relay – ESA Contract No. 4000132053/20/NL/FE (2020–2021).
• ESEO – European Students Earth Orbiter, ESA microsatellite mission (2015–2018).
• DustCube – ESA Competitive Tender “R&D Studies Competition for Innovation – Asteroid Impact Mission CubeSat Opportunity Payloads” (2015–2017).
• RT-LANDER – Radio Tracking of a Landed Spacecraft: Determination of the Spacecraft Position and the Planet’s Ephemeris and Orientation in Space – ESA/ESOC ITT AO/1-6077/09/D/JR (2010–2011).
• ARMADA – Autorotation in Martian Descent and Landing (2008–2009).

Italian Space Agency (ASI)

• LICIACube – Light Italian CubeSat for Imaging of Asteroids, hosted on NASA’s DART (Double Asteroid Redirection Test) mission (2019–2024).
• Pioneer Anomaly Investigation – Re-examination of Pioneer 10 and Pioneer 11 tracking data (2009–2013).

United States Air Force – Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR)

• Investigation on the Physics and Microfluidics of the Decomposition of Hydrogen Peroxide in MEMS Micro-Thrusters – European Office of Aerospace Research and Development, Grant No. FA9550-16-1-0081 (2015–2016).

European Commission

• FAST4Future – Focus on African Space Science and Technology for Future Development – Erasmus+ Grant No. 101082487 – Leader of Work Package 6: Knowledge Transfer in Satellites and Sensors for Space Exploration (since 2023).

TEACHING ACTIVITIES

Institutional Teaching Appointments – University of Bologna

• Since 2023: Lecturer for Satellites and Space Missions-L (6 ECTS), B.Sc. in Aerospace Engineering.
• Since 2020: Lecturer for Space Missions II (2 ECTS), Second-Level Professional Master’s Programme in Space Missions Science, Design and Applications.
• Since 2015: Lecturer for Spacecraft Attitude Dynamics and Control-LM (6 ECTS), M.Sc. in Aerospace Engineering.
• 2015–2023: Lecturer for Aerospace Systems-L – Module 2 (3 ECTS), B.Sc. in Aerospace Engineering.

Adjunct Teaching – University of Bologna

• 2014–2015: Spacecraft Attitude Dynamics and Control – Module 2 (3 ECTS), M.Sc. in Aerospace Engineering.
• 2013–2014: Spacecraft Attitude Dynamics and Control-LM – Module 2 (3 ECTS), M.Sc. in Aerospace Engineering.
• 2011–2013: Flight Dynamics-LM – Module 2 (3 ECTS), M.Sc. in Aerospace Engineering.

Supplementary Teaching and Student Supervision

• Supervisor or co-supervisor of 45 B.Sc. and M.Sc. theses in Aerospace Engineering at the University of Bologna.
• Supervisor or co-supervisor of 6 PhD students at the University of Bologna.
• Supervisor of 15 postdoctoral research fellows and research scholarship holders.
• External examiner or member of PhD examination committees for 7 candidates at various Italian universities.

INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• Since 2024: Coordinator of the PhD Programme in Aerospace and Naval Science and Technology, formerly the PhD Programme in Aerospace Science and Technology, University of Bologna.
• 2021–2023: Member of the Executive Committee of the Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Bologna.
• Since 2020: Member of the Academic Board of the PhD Programme in Aerospace Science and Technology, University of Bologna.
• Since 2016: Member of the Admissions Committee for the M.Sc. in Aerospace Engineering.
• Since 2016: Member of the Student Affairs Committee for the M.Sc. in Aerospace Engineering.

ORGANIZATION OF INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES AND WORKSHOPS

• 2023 Aerospace PhD Days – Bertinoro, Italy, 16–19 April 2023.
• 2024 IFAC Workshop on Aerospace Control Education (WACE 2024) – Bertinoro, Italy, 22–24 July 2024.

MEMBERSHIP OF SCIENTIFIC AND EDITORIAL BOARDS

Since 2019, he has served as Academic Editor for the journal MDPI Aerospace. Since 2025, he has been a member of the Editorial Board of Aerotecnica Missili e Spazio, published by Springer. Since 2024, he has been a member of the Scientific Committee of ANSER, the consortium of aerospace companies of the Emilia-Romagna region.

Since 2022, he has been a member of the Governing Board of A.I.D.A.A. APS, the Italian Association of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

OTHER ACTIVITIES

• Excellent Reviewer for the Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics, for the period 1 October 2021–30 September 2022.