Earth–Moon L1 ↔ L2 transfers
Lyapunov-orbit transfers in the CR3BP via invariant manifolds, Poincaré maps and multiple shooting.
Dhruv Chawla
Space·Software·Systems
Mission Design Engineer
KaleidEO
Aerospace engineer. Builds spacecraft structures, satellite missions and the software that runs them.
0CubeSat buses taken PDR → CDR
0% cost cut on an EV skateboard subassembly
0launch deviations managed
0years in mechanical & aerospace engineering
00 — Profile
Trained in mechanical engineering, shaped by aerospace. From CubeSat bus structures in Boulder to electric-vehicle body structures at Rivian, and now satellite missions at KaleidEO in Bengaluru.
Named after a star. Physics first, then machines, then orbits.
01 — Trajectory
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Now
Satellite mission design & optimal task scheduling for Earth observation. Presented at ISRO's SMOPS 2026. Bengaluru
KaleidEO
Mission Design Engineer
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2022–23
Ran 129+ design and manufacturing deviations through launch of the Amazon Electric Delivery Van BIW & skateboard. Irvine, CA
Rivian
Technical Program Manager · Body Structures
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2022
Designed the mid-skateboard subassembly in CATIA V6. 39.855% cost reduction via DFM / DFA. Irvine, CA
Rivian
Design Release Engineer · Underbody
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2021
Built a flight stabilization board that autonomously trims glider control surfaces after launch. Boulder, CO
CU Boulder
Engineer · Aerospace Electronics Shop
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2019–20
Bus structures for the CANVAS (NSF) and COSMO (NOAA / LASP) CubeSats. Boulder, CO
Colorado Center for Astrodynamics Research
Lead Mechanical Engineer
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2019
8U CLIPSAT-A bus for Martian radio-occultation studies. Boulder, CO
Blue Sky Enterprises
Mechanical Engineer
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2016–17
Q-gate inspection on production lines. CNC machining of a T-72 tank part. Noida · Delhi
Honda Cars India · 505 Army Base Workshop
Mechanical Engineering Intern
02 — Selected work
CANVAS & COSMO
Two CubeSat bus structures, from CAD and random-vibration analysis to assembly procedures and design reviews.
Ingenuity vibrations
Mars Helicopter modelled as discrete and continuous systems under harmonic loads in Martian air.
Earth → Europa
Interplanetary transfer to Jupiter's sphere of influence, launch energy minimised using porkchop plots.
CLIPSAT-A
Low-cost autonomous interplanetary spacecraft. Instrument integration and launch-load FEA.
UAV winglets
Cant-angle optimisation of winglets for the RQ-7 Shadow drone.
03 — Stack
Design
CATIA V6
SolidWorks
Siemens NX
Creo
Analysis
ANSYS
FEA · Modal · Random vibe
GD&T · DFMEA
DFM / DFA
Code
Python
MATLAB
Mathematica
SQL · DSA
Mission
Astrodynamics
STK
Task scheduling
Machine learning
04 — Education
- 2018–20University of Colorado BoulderM.S. Aerospace Engineering Sciences · Satellite System Design certificate
- 2014–18Vellore Institute of TechnologyB.Tech Mechanical Engineering
- 2025–26IIT MadrasCoursework · Python, DSA, DBMS
Formerly Vice President, AIAA at CU Boulder
05 — Contact