This summer I worked as a Propulsion Engineering Intern at Gravitics, where I designed a cold gas thruster block and built a hydrogen peroxide material compatibility testing setup. The thruster project focused on structural loads, sealing, and manufacturability, while the peroxide project centered on coupon design, test rig setup, and defining a repeatable procedure for future use.
While I can’t share detailed drawings or data due to proprietary restrictions, I can talk about the kinds of engineering decisions I was responsible for.
Gravitics
Cold Gas Thruster Block
I led the preliminary design of a cold gas thruster manifold that integrates multiple valves and nozzles into a single block. That meant:
Load Analysis: Running calculations to size bolts and joints against launch loads, and deciding when conservatism was justified versus when it would drive unnecessary mass.
Seal Design: Choosing the right o-ring geometry and surface finish to meet leak-tight requirements, and checking surface-to-volume ratios to avoid compatibility issues.
Manufacturing Trade-offs: Balancing an idealized design against what could actually be machined, welded, and assembled in-house. I often had to compromise between the “clean” CAD model and the realities of tolerances, tooling, and inspection.
Laser Welding!
Hydrogen Peroxide Compatibility Testing
In parallel, I designed an in-house materials testing setup for high-concentration hydrogen peroxide:
Self-Driven Research: I dug through technical papers, NASA reports, and legacy test standards to identify gaps in existing peroxide compatibility data, then adapted those findings into a practical test plan tailored to Gravitics’ needs.
Coupon Geometry: I had to design samples that hit a target surface-to-volume ratio, since that drives decomposition rates. This meant working through surface-area math and translating it into practical machining instructions.
Test Rig Design: Building a test setup that was simple enough to run repeatedly. Every design choice (flask size, bath temperature, measurement method) came with trade-offs in accuracy vs. practicality.
Standardization: My goal was to define a repeatable procedure that future engineers could use to evaluate materials in use with hydrogen peroxide. That meant thinking about clarity of documentation and minimizing opportunities for user error.
Summer 2025 – Propulsion Engineering Intern at Gravitics
NX CAD modeling
Bolt/joint sizing and analysis
O-ring and seal design
Materials compatibility testing
Lab test setup + documentation
Technical presentations & design reviews
Engineering trade studies
Skills I Learned
