ADILABAD: For Anuhya Alugoju, the journey from a farming family in Telangana to India’s space programme began with an opportunity — and was built on years of learning, testing and perseverance. Today, the antennas she helped design for Vikram-1 are in orbit, marking a moment of pride for rural students aspiring to enter the space sector.
Anuhya, who belongs to a middle-class farming family, contributed to the Vikram-1 mission as an RF Design Engineer at Skyroot Aerospace. She was part of the Avionics team that worked on RF antenna systems used for communication between the spacecraft and ground station. She spent around two years on the mission, working on the design, analysis, simulation, testing and qualification of antennas.
Speaking to TNIE, she says the experience offered a chance to follow the entire journey of an antenna — from a design on a computer screen to tested flight hardware and, finally, its operation in space. “I was fortunate to be part of this journey for around two years, contributing specifically to the RF and antenna-related activities,” she adds.
The work involved multiple stages of design, simulation, optimisation, testing and qualification, along with reviews, troubleshooting and repeated improvements. “The most exciting part was seeing something that started as a design and simulation eventually become flight hardware and perform its role in space,” Anuhya says.
She studied at RGUKT Basara, popularly known at IIIT, from 2018 to 2024. Her entry into the aerospace sector came through the Kalpana Fellowship conducted nationwide by Skyroot Aerospace. The fellowship gave her an opportunity to explore the aerospace sector and connect her interests with real-world space technology. Her existing interest and research experience in antenna design and RF engineering further encouraged her to pursue a career in the field.
After years of work on Vikram-1, watching the rocket launch successfully was an emotional moment. “It is difficult to put the feeling into words. After spending years working on the mission, seeing the successful launch and knowing that the systems I worked on are now part of a successful space mission is an extremely proud and emotional moment,” she says.
What made the moment even more special was that the first antenna she designed for a spacecraft was now in orbit. “Seeing something that I designed, simulated, tested, and worked on through every stage now in space is an unforgettable feeling,” she adds.
The experience, Anuhya mentions, made the long hours, challenges, testing, failures and iterations worthwhile and gave her a deeper sense of pride and purpose in contributing to India’s growing space ecosystem.
Anuhya aims to continue working on upcoming space missions and deepen her expertise in aerospace and RF engineering. She also wants to explore research opportunities and career paths beyond conventional roles, particularly in areas that can contribute to advances in space technology. At the same time, she hopes to encourage young engineers to explore aerospace, research and emerging technologies.
“I want to inspire young engineers to explore aerospace, research, and emerging technologies and encourage them to believe that they too can make a meaningful contribution to the space industry,” she says.
‘IIIT-Basara helped me immensely’
Ecstatic over Anuhya’s achievement, RGUKT Basara Vice-Chancellor Prof A Govardhan says, “Our university’s primary objective is to prioritise the advancement of students from rural areas and mould them into world-class innovators. This extraordinary success achieved by Anuhya serves as an inspiration to thousands of students.”
For Anuhya, however, the institution’s contribution was deeply personal. “IIIT Basara was not merely a university but a magnificent opportunity that transformed my life,” she says.
She credits the university’s faculty, laboratories and learning environment with helping her develop her engineering skills. “Studying alongside talented students from various districts of Telangana inspired me to work harder and learn new things,” she adds.
She mentions the institution’s culture of learning, discipline and problem-solving helped her become part of the Vikram-1 mission at Skyroot Aerospace. “IIIT Basar is a magnificent platform to prove your talent to the world.”
Her biggest inspiration, however, remains closer to home. “My mother has been the greatest inspiration in my life; it was because of her sacrifices that I was able to dream big,” she asserts.
