A student from the School of Engineering and Materials Science (SEMS) at Queen Mary University of London has been selected for a highly competitive research internship and will spend four months working at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California, Pasadena.

The NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory is one of the world’s leading centres for robotic space exploration, responsible for iconic missions such as Mars rovers and deep space probes exploring distant planets and asteroids. The laboratory develops cutting edge technologies in autonomous robotics, navigation and space systems that enable exploration across the solar system.

Brandon Rutagamirwa, an MSc student in Robotics and Artificial Intelligence will begin working in the Robotics Operation and Tools department developing physics based modelling and control software of planetary robotic systems. The internship focuses on the modelling and algorithms of distributed robotic systems for planetary exploration, including the development of mathematical models, simulation frameworks and control strategies for autonomous robotic platforms operating in complex environments.

Speaking about the opportunity, Brandon said: “This is an amazing opportunity to work with engineers and scientists from NASA who are at the forefront of space technology. I’m excited to both learn and contribute through my own research, and to experience working in California, one of the world’s leading hubs for space and technological innovation. I’m very excited by the opportunity to contribute to research that supports future space exploration."

Brandon has been actively involved in a range of space and engineering initiatives during his time at Queen Mary. He was a member of the award winning QMSEDS CubeSat team, and currently serves as Power Lead for Project EXCALIBUR, a stratospheric balloon experiment focused on atmospheric testing and biological resilience. The project has been selected to undergo environmental testing at the European Space Agency CubeSat Support Facility at the Galaxia campus in Belgium.