• Brooke Owens Fellow, Class of 2022

• University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering, ‘23

• Host Institution: Astranis

• Executive Mentor: Jose Hernandez

• Brookie Mentor: Jenna Kay Foertsch

Priyanka Sarangabany is a third year student pursuing an Aerospace Engineering major and Computer Science minor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). Her dreams of becoming an astronaut started at a young age while making rocket ships out of cardboard boxes. Her curiosity grew as she studied modern physics at the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy. Since then, Priyanka has strived to advance the human condition by searching for solutions in space. Her interest in engineering is coupled with her love for designing hand-painted clothes, dancing bhangra, and curating music playlists.

As an Illini, Priyanka is involved in global internships, undergraduate research projects, and leadership roles. In the summer of 2021, she interned at the NSF Engineering Research Center for Power Optimization of Electro Thermal Systems (POETS) to apply neural networks for the optimization of piezoelectric energy harvesters. She continues to contribute her efforts to POETS as the Undergraduate Representative of the Student Leadership Council. As the Solid Propulsion Lead in the Illinois Space Society (ISS), Priyanka guides her team towards designing and manufacturing an ammonium perchlorate engine to ultimately fuel a rocket that crosses the Kármán line. In addition to POETS and ISS, Priyanka was a Course Assistant for an Engineering Statics course and conducted an independent study on the automation of spatial packing in the fall of 2021. In her final year at UIUC, Priyanka hopes to leave a positive impact on her community as a member of the aerospace department's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee.

As a Brooke Owens Fellow, Priyanka will be a propulsion intern at Astranis in San Francisco, CA. She is eager to design and analyze satellite propulsion systems to meet existing and future mission requirements!