Kozhikode: The International Astronomical Union (IAU) has officially named an asteroid after Maruti R Akella, a distinguished Indo-American aerospace engineer and alumnus of the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Calicut. Asteroid number 5376, a five-mile-wide minor planet orbiting the sun every 3.75 years, will now be known as "Marutiakella," according to a recent announcement by the IAU’s Working Group on Small Bodies Nomenclature (WGSBN).
Discovered in 1990 by astronomers S Ueda and H Kaneda at an observatory in Kushiro, Japan, this minor planet body is part of the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. The IAU, responsible for naming celestial bodies, cited Akella’s extensive contributions to aerospace engineering and space systems control in their announcement.
A native of Narsapuram, Andhra Pradesh, Prof Akella completed his undergraduate studies in mechanical engineering at NIT Calicut in 1992, followed by advanced degrees in aerospace engineering from the Indian Institute of Science and Texas A&M University. He holds the Cockerell Family Endowed Chair at the University of Texas at Austin’s Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics Department.
His work has led to numerous breakthroughs in space systems control and vision-guided robotics, including critical guidance support for the Intuitive Machines IM-1 lunar landing mission in February 2024. The IAU recognised his expertise in managing complex dynamical systems and nonlinearities, fuelling advancements in astrodynamics.
An elected fellow of several professional organisations, Akella has received numerous accolades, including the 2023 Distinguished Alumni Award from NIT Calicut. He also serves as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of the Astronautical Sciences and holds key roles on various technical committees.