Queen Mary School of Engineering and Materials Science aerospace engineering students Joost Hubbard (MEng) and Mitansh Choksi (MEng) have been selected to participate in specialized ESA Academy workshops, building on their strong academic foundations in spacecraft dynamics and computational engineering.

The students, who previously contributed to developing interactive digital textbooks for spacecraft dynamics courses at QMUL, were chosen for ESA Academy's Space Debris Training Course and Robotics Workshop respectively, demonstrating QMUL's growing presence in space engineering education.

Mitansh, who has been instrumental in developing Python-based educational resources for spacecraft dynamics, participated in the robotics workshop at ESTEC in Noordwijk. His team, named Team Perry, worked with ExoMy rovers, developing machine learning models for autonomous object detection inspired by Mars rover missions. The workshop complemented his strong background in computational dynamics and his upcoming third-year project on space station design. Mitansh also presented his work at an EMS515U Lecture in December, encouraging future students to apply for these selective ESA workshops.

Joost, leveraged his excellent third-year project on orbital decay and satellite refueling systems built on his excellent understanding of spacecraft dynamics in the second year, attended the space debris training course at ESA. The course provided multidisciplinary insights into the past and future impact of debris on space operations, aligning with his academic focus on orbital dynamics and mission planning. His experience in Python programming and industry-standard software like FreeFlyer proved valuable during the intensive training program.

Both workshops showcased the practical application of skills developed during their QMUL coursework, particularly in spacecraft dynamics and computational methods. The students' selection for these competitive programs reflects their strong academic performance and practical experience gained through their work on interactive educational resources at QMUL.

Their successful participation in these ESA Academy programs represents a significant achievement in our commitment to providing world-class space engineering education and fostering international collaboration in the aerospace sector.

You are also urged to read from Joost's and Mitansh's reflections on LinkedIn.