What did you do last summer?
This is part of a series of Q&As with aerospace graduate students who had 2022 summer internships.
Himmat Panag is working on a master’s degree in the Department of Aerospace Engineering. His adviser is Robyn Woollands. He is studying at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign on a scholarship from Fulbright Australia.
This past summer, Panag had a virtual internship with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in the Multi Agent Autonomy group.
What did you do?
HP: My field of interest is control theory, and I was working on motion planning algorithms. Specifically, I was looking at ways to rendezvous and dock with spacecraft without contaminating any sensitive instruments they have on board. The project was titled “Reduced contamination approach strategies for servicing and refueling spacecraft using convex optimization.”
What did a typical day look like for you?
HP: A typical day involved writing code, reading papers, and seeking advice from the many experts at JPL. We also had weekly meetings where I would present my project.
Who were your mentors on the project?
HP: I worked with Saptarshi Bandyopadhyay and Amir Rahmani.
What was the most challenging aspect of the summer internship?
HP: The most challenging part was the first three to four weeks, where I had to independently come up to speed with the project to a level at which I could converse with experts on the subject matter.
What was the most rewarding aspect?
HP: The most rewarding aspect was the amazing culture at JPL and the dedicated and passionate expert engineers that I could reach out to and ask for advice at any time.
What did you learn about science?
HP: Collaboration is the key to rapid progress.
What did you learn about yourself?
HP: Driving my own project and research agenda was simultaneously exciting, stressful, and satisfying. I found the freedom to explore in a collaborative environment immensely rewarding.