IITMSAT is a student initiative satellite at IIT Madras in collaboration with Indian Space Research Organisation ISRO with a detector payload to study the energy spectrum of charged particles in the upper ionosphere.

I was an active participant in the mechanical structure and analysis subsystems during my first two years of undergraduate life (and currently too). I played a vital role in designing, analyzing, fabricating, integrating and assembling payload as well as spacecraft.

It was a long project to me with great learning experience technically and personally. I was exposed to manufacturing techniques such as 3D printing, Sheet Metal Working, Laser Cutting, CNC Machining and industrial manufacturing practices.

I have gained hard-working nature, perseverance, learned how to be innovative when problems occur, how to hold pressure under difficult situations. I had great fun working hours and hours in clean room.

The best memorable experience is the visit to ISRO four times for testing purposes of payload and spacecraft.

At present, the team successfully completed the qualification model testing, a crucial step before launch into space and gearing up for the constructing the flight model which actually goes into space.