Robotics Blog Entry # 1

Hello! My name is Madhurita Sengupta, but most of my friends call me Madi. I am a robotics instructor at the Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston, Texas. This means I, as well as other instructors in my group, work with flight controllers (who sit in Mission Control) and astronauts to train them on how to use the robotic arms on the International Space Station.


The robotic arms are used to put together parts of the space station when they’re first brought into space. Astronauts train for many months, to make sure they are able to operate the arms properly when they go into space. As a self-proclaimed space nut, this is quite possibly one of the coolest jobs ever.

Just like many of you, I grew up wanting to be an astronaut. In fact, I still remember touring NASA at eight and coming home to tell my mom that I would one day work in Mission Control and be an astronaut! After participation in several high school programs, I headed to the University of Texas at Austin and majored in Electrical Engineering. During this time, I also worked at JSC as a co-op (like an intern, but I was able to come back multiple times). After finishing my degree, I started full-time with the Space Station Robotics Training group earlier this year.

Fifteen years ago, I never realized how amazing the opportunities in my life would turn out to be – and now I can safely say I am living my dream! Through the amazing student programs at JSC, I was fortunate to have gotten involved with NASA pretty early on. No matter where you are in school, there are many opportunities to get involved with the space program, so I encourage you all to explore all of them!

In the coming months, I hope to give you all a little more insight on the space program and my part in it. I am more than happy to answer any questions or hear any comments you may have – so don’t be shy!