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Interview: Ex-ISRO scientist shares skills students need for space careers, explains role of maths, coding and AI
Ex-ISRO scientist highlights the skills students need for careers in the growing space sector. He stresses the importance of maths, coding, AI.
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India’s growing space sector is opening up new career opportunities for students which are beyond rockets and satellites. With mathematics, coding, artificial intelligence and data science, they are becoming increasingly important in the field.
Gurpreet Singh, an IIT Roorkee graduate, a former ISRO scientist, and currently the Math Lead at Newton School of Technology, says students interested in space careers should first build a strong foundation in mathematics, physics, and programming. Having worked for over seven years in ISRO’s Space Navigation Group on India’s NavIC system, Singh says these subjects play a direct role in solving real-world challenges in space missions.
While speaking with HT Digital, Gurpreet explains the importance of maths, coding, and AI in the space sector; the skills students need for careers in space; lesser-known career opportunities in India’s space sector; and more. Read the complete interview here:
1. You spent over seven years at ISRO and worked on India’s NavIC navigation system. Could you explain what your work involved and how mathematics and coding are used in real-world space missions?
I worked in ISRO’s Space Navigation Group on NavIC, covering areas such as orbit determination, navigation estimation, filtering, inter-satellite links and time synchronisation.
At the heart of this work is a simple question: where exactly is a satellite, and how fast is it moving? We cannot observe it directly, so we combine signals received by ground stations with physics-based models of how objects move around Earth. The measurements contain noise and sensor errors, so mathematics helps us calculate the best possible estimate.
This is where differential equations, linear algebra, probability, statistics and Kalman filtering become very real. Coding converts these mathematical models into algorithms and operational software. That software is tested across thousands of scenarios for accuracy, stability and robustness because even a small error can propagate through the entire system.
2. For school and college students interested in space, what subjects and skills should they start building?
My first advice is: do not begin by trying to learn rocket science. Begin with the foundations that rocket science cannot do without.
Build a strong understanding of mathematics, particularly algebra, geometry, trigonometry and calculus. At a more advanced stage, focus on linear algebra, differential equations, probability, numerical methods and optimisation. In physics, mechanics is an excellent starting point before moving into areas such as electronics, electromagnetism, optics or thermodynamics.
Programming is the third foundation. Python is a good place to begin, but the objective is not to memorise syntax. Students should learn to model, simulate, visualise and debug. For example, write a program that simulates a satellite orbit and observe what happens when its initial velocity changes.
Systems thinking and communication matter too. Spacecraft are built by multidisciplinary teams, so engineers must understand how their work affects other systems and explain their assumptions and limitations clearly.
3. Should space science and technology become a more important part of India’s curriculum?
Yes, but it should not become another chapter in which students memorise mission names, launch vehicles and dates. That would miss the opportunity completely.
Space provides a powerful context for learning subjects that students often find abstract. A young student can begin with questions such as: Why does the Moon not fall on Earth? Why does a satellite remain in orbit? How can a satellite measure temperature without touching an object? How does it help us track a cyclone?
At school, such questions can connect gravity, geometry, conic sections, calculus and navigation to real applications. At college, students can go further into orbital mechanics, control systems, signal processing, embedded systems and scientific computing.
Most importantly, theory should be paired with experiments, simulations and real satellite data. Students need to make mistakes early and learn how to investigate them. Real engineering begins when the answer is not already printed in the book.
4. Beyond becoming a scientist or engineer, what lesser-known career opportunities exist in India’s space sector?
A career in space is not limited to designing rockets or becoming an astronaut. Every mission depends on a much larger ecosystem.
There are roles in flight dynamics, mission planning, navigation, ground operations, communications, antennas, thermal systems, materials, testing and reliability. Earth-observation satellites also generate enormous amounts of data that must be converted into useful information for agriculture, climate monitoring, urban planning, forestry and disaster management. This creates opportunities for geospatial analysts, remote-sensing specialists, data scientists and application developers.
The growing commercial sector also needs people in manufacturing, quality assurance, supply-chain management, cybersecurity and product management. Emerging areas include space-debris tracking, space situational awareness, regulation, space law, insurance and finance.
Many professionals can make a significant contribution to a space mission without ever working directly on a rocket. As India’s private space ecosystem grows, the routes into the sector will become far more diverse.
5. What new career paths could emerge from AI, machine learning, coding, cryptography and data science?
These technologies are creating exciting opportunities, but AI does not remove the need to understand mathematics, physics and the space domain. The strongest professionals will be those who can combine computational skills with subject knowledge.
In Earth observation, machine learning and computer vision can help analyse satellite imagery, identify crop patterns, monitor environmental changes and improve disaster forecasting. Other emerging areas include onboard AI, edge computing, autonomous mission planning, intelligent control, secure communications and cyber resilience.
Many of the hardest problems sit at the intersection of disciplines. They may involve orbital mechanics, optimisation, probability, geometry and software at the same time. A mathematics graduate may be expected to write excellent code, while a computer science graduate working on trajectories may need to understand orbital mechanics.
The traditional boundaries between fields will become less rigid. Students who can move confidently across these boundaries will have a major advantage.
6. What practical steps would you recommend to students who are unsure where to begin?
Do one serious project before collecting ten or twenty certificates. Courses provide structure, but projects produce deeper understanding.
A school student can simulate projectile motion or a satellite orbit, analyse basic astronomical data or build a sensor system using Arduino. At college, students can develop an orbit propagator, implement a Kalman filter, estimate position using public navigation data or simulate a CubeSat control system. The important part is to experiment with the model, introduce errors and understand why the output changes.
Students should explore public data from ISRO and other space agencies. Programmes offered by the Indian Institute of Remote Sensing can also provide useful exposure. Internships at ISRO, research laboratories and private space companies are valuable, but no single internship should become the definition of progress.
Learn Git, Linux and scientific computing. Read technical papers even if you initially understand only a small part. Most importantly, do not wait until you feel completely ready. Space rewards depth, patience, curiosity and the ability to solve problems you have never encountered before.
