Michelle Chen is a software systems engineer at The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, where she has made a profound impact.

One of her most notable contributions was pivotal in NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) Mission, which aimed to demonstrate humanity's ability to defend our planet from asteroids.

By hitting the moon of the asteroid Didymos, DART showcased readiness and capability, making Chen's contributions to planetary defense vital for safeguarding the future.

Chen developed a prototype capability that formed the basis for the instrument deployed on DART. The autonomous navigation techniques ensured a bullseye.

Her innovative creation, the Small-body Maneuvering Autonomous Real-Time Navigation (SMART Nav) algorithm, was crucial to DART's success.

Operating onboard the spacecraft, SMART Nav took charge during the critical terminal phase, utilizing onboard imagery to identify the target and make crucial decisions on thruster firing and coasting while considering fuel levels and remaining distance.

SMART Nav's efficiency and precision were key factors in ensuring that the DART mission was a success.

The DART mission tests a technique that could be used to mitigate the threat of an asteroid on a collision course with Earth should one be discovered in the future.