Hugh Lewis

Hugh Lewis is a Professor of Astronautics at the University of Southampton, where he is a member of the Astronautics Research Group and co-director of the Centre of Excellence in In-situ and Remote Intelligent Sensing. His expertise spans over 20 years in space debris and sustainability, with development of the DAMAGE space debris model.

He represents the UK Space Agency at international committees including the Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC) and the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS), focusing on space debris modeling and planetary defense against asteroids.

• Space Debris
• Space Sustainability
• Spaceflight Safety
• Space Situational Awareness
• Spacecraft Systems Engineering

His recent publications highlight trends in computational modeling, digital twins, and AI for space debris population prediction, alongside applications in environmental monitoring and satellite constellation design. Research projects include collaborations with the European Space Agency, European Union, and EPSRC.

Hugh is the module lead for SESA2024 Astronautics and SESA3038 Space Environment, mentoring PhD students Grace Taylor and Megan Perks. He contributes to public science through media appearances, including BBC's Horizon and the "Gravity" movie feature.