Hi, I'm Mithun

About me

Currently I'm making Space Robot at Made In Space Europe (a RedWire company) in Luxembourg. Before this I worked at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in the field of Mechatronics, Robotics and Control Systems. I've done my master's degree in Mechatronics from Hochschule Ravensburg -Weingaten University in Germany (2018), Bachelor degree in Mechanical Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras in Chennai (2011) and secondary schooling from Netarhat Residential School (2004). I was born and brought up in the northern part of India and lived in various states in India and in Europe for my education and employment. I speak English, Hindi, German and a little bit of French and Malayalam.

Professional Interests

• Space Robotics

• Multi-disciplinary Design, Analysis and Optimization

• Electric Drives and E-mobility

• Bionic & Prosthetic Systems

Journey so far

2011- 2016

I graduated from IIT Madras with bachelor degree in Mechanical Engineering and went to work for Vikram Sarabhai Space Center (VSSC) in Trivandrum - a beautiful coastal town in the southern part of mainland India. Being located on the earth's magnetic equator, Trivandrum had been the paradise for the geophysicists from across the world for the study of Equatorial Electrojets using sounding rockets, which ultimately gave birth to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

During the next 5 years, I worked for the development and realization of the Control Actuation System and the Digital Auto-Pilot of ISRO's satellite launch vehicles and witnessed 15 successful launches including the mission to Mars. The goal was to keep the launcher on its intended trajectory and stabilize it against the external disturbances.

Apart from this, it was also the time when I explored the beautiful beaches and hills of Kerala, which is often advertised as God's Own Country. I also learnt to read and write Malayalam - the language of the region.

2016 - 2018

In September 2016, I started my master study in Mechatronics at Hochschule Ravensburg-Weingarten University of Applied Sciences (RWU) in Weingarten near Friedrichshafen on the bank of Lake Constance (Bodensee) in southern Germany. (The place has been famous for Zepplin Airships, including the unfortunate LZ Hindenburg). At RWU, I studied various aspects of mechatronic and robotic systems. I worked on my Master Thesis at ZF Friedrichshafen to figure out the maximum optimization potentials for the components of an Electric Vehicles (EV) and its cost-benefit trade-off for various driving pattern. The findings of the thesis guide towards the approaches for the development of more efficient EVs, which is essential for a sustainable future.

This period also gave me an excellent opportunity to explore the diverse culture and rich heritage of various countries and regions in Europe. I learnt to speak German language and also acquired the taste of Käsespätzle, Currywurst and Schnitzel.

2018 - 2021

After completion of the master's degree, I moved back to India and joined the Robotics and Mechatronics System section at my previous workplace at ISRO in Trivandrum. Here, my inter-disciplinary research group was responsible for study, conceptualization and laying out development plans for the electro-mechanical and robotic systems for futuristic space explorations in orbit as well as in deep space. The knowledge from mechanics, electronics, communication, materials and polymers are incorporated with Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to develop safe and reliable autonomous systems capable of working in the harsh and uncertain environment of deep space. Along with the space robotic systems, the research group also joined hands with the industries for making reliable bio-medical devices like prosthetic limbs and mechanical ventilator at an affordable cost. (video)

2021 onwards

In June 2021, I started working at Made in Space Europe in Luxembourg to make autonomous robots for the orbital, deep-space and interplanetary missions.