I launched my journey in space systems design at the Indian National Space Settlement Design Competition (INSSDC), where our team created a detailed 50-page proposal for a fully functional space settlement, covering systems design, operations, automation and robotics, cost and scheduling, human factors, and the business model. In a twelve-member team, I focused on automation and business systems, designing the settlement’s computing infrastructure and robotic applications, while also contributing to core concept development, project strategy, and team coordination.

After advancing to the Asian Regional round in Dubai, five teams were merged into a single company and tasked with producing a new proposal within 24 hours, closely simulating real-world engineering constraints. I was elected Systems Engineer, taking responsibility for system integration, cross-team coordination, and technical consistency across subsystems, while continuing hands-on work on automation and robotic systems. Competing among 60 teams from 7 countries, our team placed first at the Asian Regional Space Settlement Design Competition.