Using satellite mega-constellations to improve atmospheric density models

The proposed topic is one of the major challenges the scientific community must address in the next 50 years: space traffic management. The recent deployment of satellite mega-constellations means there are growing opportunities for valuable work to be undertaken in this emergent field which is vital to the future of infrastructures such as the internet. I am interested in the topic because it will undoubtedly bear relevance to our everyday lives over the coming years. Elements of space science, computing, engineering and earth sciences will all be relevant at different stages. The combination of topics is well aligned to the ones I have studied. This will allow me to get involved in salient work. To achieve meaningful work in this area, a high level of experience is required. Not only does Professor Ziebart carry the technical knowledge (as highlighted by his role in advising the UK government on the topic), but he also works closely with leading companies (OneWeb)and institutions in the field (NASA JPL). Having already collaborated on similar topics (summer project and MSc thesis) to good effect, our ability to work well as a team is a particularly strong pull factor.