Buckling control of space structures using piezoelectric actuators is an emerging area of research. In particular, cylindrical shells present several challenges as they exhibit multiple buckling modes. This work focuses on placement of ring actuators on cylindrical shells exhibiting axisymmetric buckling. A new method based on the characteristic wavelength of the cylindrical shell is proposed for actuator placement. It is shown by means of numerical studies that passive control of these shells shows a distinct advantage over the conventional actuator placement. It is possible to obtain a stiffer load–axial shortening response as well as a peak load enhancement of the shell using the present approach. The results obtained give important insights into the actuator placement problem for cylindrical shells undergoing axisymmetric buckling.