{"id":32461,"date":"2025-06-11T10:19:28","date_gmt":"2025-06-11T17:19:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.arizonafoothillsmagazine.com\/valleygirlblog\/?p=32461"},"modified":"2025-06-13T06:10:24","modified_gmt":"2025-06-13T13:10:24","slug":"aiming-for-the-stars-sanaya-nichanis-journey-to-becoming-a-nasa-collaborator","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.arizonafoothillsmagazine.com\/valleygirlblog\/teen\/aiming-for-the-stars-sanaya-nichanis-journey-to-becoming-a-nasa-collaborator\/","title":{"rendered":"Aiming for the Stars: Sanaya Nichani\u2019s Journey to NASA"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Sanaya Nichani, a driven aerospace engineering student at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University<\/strong><\/a>, is carving a path among the stars \u2013 quite literally. With a focus on astronautics, Nichani is pursuing her undergraduate degree at one of the top institutions in the nation for aerospace studies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Embry-Riddle, with residential campuses in Prescott and Daytona Beach, Florida, is ranked the #1 Best Regional College in the West<\/strong> by U.S. News<\/em>, and #1 for Best Undergraduate Aerospace Engineering Programs<\/strong> among schools without a Ph.D. Nichani\u2019s path into the world of space and rockets was anything but conventional.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Sanaya<\/a>
Sanaya Nichani. Photos courtesy of Shilpa Nichani<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI have been interested in aerospace engineering since I was 16 years old,\u201d she said. \u201cI chose this career path because it was the hardest one I could choose for myself. In high school, I was never good at mathematics or physics, but space had always been fascinating. I knew that if I could excel in engineering school, I could do anything.\u201d Her determination transformed uncertainty into passion, and now, she\u2019s thriving as she edges closer to her dream career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI have fallen in love with aerospace engineering and am excited about my future in the space industry,\u201d Nichani said. As she explains it, she\u2019s \u201cbecoming a rocket scientist\u201d \u2013 a simplified, yet perfectly accurate description of her work in astronautics, which includes propulsion, materials science, structural analysis, fluid dynamics, and more. These skills came to the forefront through her involvement in PARSEC<\/strong>, a standout undergraduate research project at Embry-Riddle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2024, PARSEC <\/strong>was chosen as a finalist team for NASA and the National Institute of Aerospace\u2019s inaugural Human Lander Challenge (HuLC), a prestigious competition focused on finding real solutions for NASA\u2019s Human Landing System (HLS) missions. Their project, Plume Additive for Reducing Surface Ejecta and Cratering (PARSEC)<\/strong>, aimed to address a problem critical to lunar landings: Plume Surface Interaction (PSI).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
Sanaya visited NASA in 2024 and 2025.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s how Nichani describes it: During spacecraft descent, the engine exhaust interacts with lunar dust, displacing it and creating small craters beneath the landing site \u2013 an issue that can disrupt sensors and damage nearby equipment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

PARSEC <\/strong>proposed a system using thermal spraying technology to deploy a granular additive into the exhaust plume during descent. The particles would melt, accelerate toward the lunar surface, and form a solid pad to reduce debris and cratering \u2013 a solution that earned the team the Excellence in Systems Engineering Award<\/strong> at the 2024 Finalist Forum at NASA\u2019s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNASA\u2019s energy was infectious,\u201d Nichani recalled. \u201cEveryone who attended was there because they were excited about the same topics and implications for space exploration. Oftentimes, I felt as though the line between competitor, faculty advisor, and judge was blurred, because we all shared a common passion.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2025, Nichani and the PARSEC team returned to the challenge with a new concept; this time focusing on mass gauging of cryogenic propellant in microgravity<\/strong>, another complex hurdle for long-term space missions. Their solution, ECHO (Electrical Capacitance to High-Resolution Observation)<\/strong>, is an Electrical Capacitance Tomography system designed to continuously monitor fuel levels in microgravity. This innovation could play a vital role in NASA\u2019s future missions, including Artemis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
Sanaya with Governor Katie Hobbs<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The team is set to present their work at the 2025 HuLC Finalist Forum from June 23-27, once again at Marshall Space Flight Center<\/strong>. They will deliver a 25-minute presentation followed by a 20-minute Q&A and a session at the poster forum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are looking forward to learning more about the other finalists\u2019 projects and visiting NASA\u2019s Marshall Space Flight Center,\u201d Nichani shared. \u201cI am ecstatic that we have the opportunity to attend this year\u2019s forum, and that our newer members get to experience the same wonderful forum we did!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Sanaya<\/a>
Sanaya with <\/strong>retired astronaut and United States Senator Mark Kelly.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Looking ahead, Nichani has big dreams and an ambitious plan to achieve them. After completing her undergraduate degree, she hopes to work in the aerospace industry, pursue a Masters and possibly a Ph.D., obtain her pilot\u2019s license, and eventually apply for NASA\u2019s Astronaut Program. Her ultimate goal is to become an astronaut and contribute to space exploration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt is a seemingly impossible task,\u201d she admitted, \u201cbut I am determined to help us reach the stars. And through this, I am determined to give back to my community and inspire children to pursue STEM and the fields they love. If even one girl is inspired to become an Aerospace Engineer, I will consider my career a success.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sanaya Nichani\u2019s journey \u2013from high school student uncertain about physics, to award-winning NASA collaborator \u2013 is a testament to perseverance and the boundless possibilities of space.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Sanaya Nichani, an engineering student at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical, is advancing space exploration through award-winning NASA research 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