Intern – Payload Development
Intern or GET
Hyderabad, Telangana, India
About
We are seeking a passionate and research-oriented Intern to contribute to the design, development, integration, and testing of payload systems for Red Balloon’s VISTA (Stratospheric Balloon Platform) and DIVE (Deployable In-Vehicle Experiment) satellite demonstration platform.
The role focuses on developing lightweight, modular payloads capable of operating in near-space environments (20–35 km altitude) and Low Earth Orbit (LEO) analog conditions.
The intern will collaborate with mechanical, electronics, and avionics teams to prototype payload structures, sensors, and data acquisition systems supporting Earth Observation (EO), communication, or scientific missions.
Description
Payload Design & Architecture
• Support the design of modular payload structures suitable for VISTA and DIVE missions, emphasizing low weight, compact form factor, and high resilience.
• Develop thermal and mechanical layouts ensuring stability under stratospheric pressure, temperature, and vibration conditions.
• Assist in the selection of materials and components suitable for near-space radiation, vacuum, and temperature extremes.
Subsystem Integration
• Integrate sensors, cameras, communication modules, and control boards into the payload stack.
• Support PCB-level integration, harness routing, and mechanical mounting of subsystems.
• Work closely with avionics and software teams for power, data, and communication interface definition between payload and platform bus.
Electronics & Data Handling
• Configure and calibrate sensor suites (IMU, GNSS, spectrometers, cameras, or thermal imagers) for mission objectives.
• Develop data acquisition and telemetry systems to transmit payload data to the ground station.
• Support in designing redundant data logging and power backup systems for long-duration flights.
Testing & Qualification
• Participate in environmental testing such as thermal cycling, vibration, and vacuum simulation.
• Support payload integration and validation campaigns for VISTA balloon flights and DIVE demonstration missions.
• Analyze performance data post-flight and prepare validation reports comparing expected vs. observed parameters.
Innovation & Experimentation
• Contribute new ideas for miniaturized payload concepts (e.g., hyperspectral imaging, IoT relay nodes, or AI-on-edge computing modules).
• Explore sensor fusion and onboard AI techniques for autonomous data collection and anomaly detection.
• Support development of standard payload mounting interfaces for third-party or academic experiments on VISTA missions.
Documentation & Project Support
• Prepare technical reports, assembly drawings, and interface control documents (ICDs) for payloads.
• Support bill of materials (BOM) preparation and vendor coordination for component procurement.
• Assist in compiling compliance documents for mission safety, weight, and EMI/EMC guidelines.
Requirements
Final-year or postgraduate student in Electronics & Communication Engineering, Telecommunications, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or related field.
Desired
• CAD Design: SolidWorks, CATIA, Fusion 360 (for mechanical layout & housing)
• Electronics Tools: KiCAD, Altium, or EasyEDA (for board design & integration)
• Programming: Python, C/C++, or MATLAB (for data acquisition, sensor calibration)
• Testing & Validation: Oscilloscope, logic analyzer, thermal chamber, and vibration test rigs
• Communication Interfaces: UART, SPI, I²C, CAN, or Ethernet.
• Domain Knowledge (Preferred): CubeSat architecture, balloon payloads, satellite subsystems, and telemetry design