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Asteroid named after Indian-American aerospace engineer
With fewer than 2 percent of cataloged asteroids named after humans, Akella’s recognition is part of a prestigious honor in the field of astronautics.
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Maruthi Akella. / University of Texas
Maruthi Akella, a professor at the Cockrell School of Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin, has achieved a cosmic milestone with an asteroid named in his honor.
The naming process, governed by the International Astronomical Union (IAU), followed a rigorous nomination and review process. Akella’s nomination was submitted by Ryan Park, a senior scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and long-time colleague.
The asteroid, now known as Maruthiakella, was discovered in 1990 and resides in the main asteroid belt between Jupiter and Mars. The celestial body, approximately 5.5 miles wide, orbits the Sun every three years and nine months.
“I am still shocked and numb with the news just received: the International Astronomical Union (IAU) Working Group for Small Bodies Nomenclature named an asteroid in my name vide their latest bulletin (Volume 4, #14, Oct 14, 2024). This certainly cannot be possible without the support of so many distinguished colleagues in the astrodynamics field and all my excellent students. A big thanks to everyone. I can only strive to pay forward!” Akella said.
Akella is a world-renowned expert in learning and control for space systems, with contributions to astrodynamics and space exploration. His expertise was pivotal in the guidance systems for Intuitive Machines’ IM-1 lunar lander, the first U.S. craft to touch the Moon in 50 years.
Clint Dawson, chair of UT’s aerospace engineering department, praised Akella’s accomplishments. “We’re fortunate to have Akella on our faculty, whose expertise in the field of astrodynamics is highly regarded among the community. He is well deserving of this recognition,” he said.
Akella’s journey began in small-town India, where his fascination with space was ignited by the early space race and Rakesh Sharma’s historic spaceflight. Despite starting school only in eighth grade, he excelled academically and pursued his passion for aerospace.
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