NITESH NEUPANE
Mechanical Engineer — Kathmandu University, Nepal
ABOUT
Mechanical Engineer · Space Systems · Rocket Propulsion · OpenFOAM · Additive Manufacturing · Product Design
I'm Nitesh Neupane, a mechanical engineering student at Kathmandu University who builds things — from solid rockets to prosthetic knee joints to RC planes.
My work spans aerospace and product design: I've designed and machined rocket nozzles, conducted Class-M static fire tests, and engineered pneumatic umbilical release mechanisms at Mach24 Orbitals. On the product side, I've selected suitable FDM 3D printing parameters for a polycentric knee joint and performed ISO 10328 UTM testing, reprocessed PET bottles into 3D printing filament, and led RC plane builds through the KU Robotics Club — each project driven by the same principle: thoughtful design, built to function.
I'm fluent across the full design-to-fabrication pipeline — SolidWorks, OpenFOAM, ANSYS, 3D printing, CNC machining, and composite layup. Whether it's a launch vehicle component or a human-centered assistive device, I care about getting the details right.
SKILLS & EXPERTISE
SIMULATION & ANALYSIS
DESIGN & CAD
MANUFACTURING
PROGRAMMING
EXPERIENCE
PROPULSION INTERN
Mach24 Orbitals, NAST Sept 2025 – Dec 2025Designed, fabricated, and tested an umbilical cord release mechanism using pneumatic actuators to disengage Quick Disconnect (QD) couplers — critical for launch vehicle ground integration.
PROPULSION LEAD
Team Udaan, Kathmandu University Nov 2023 – Sept 2025Led subsystem design (ignitor, nozzle) for a solid rocket motor. Developed skills in planning, motivation, and strategic thinking while driving complex aerospace assemblies from concept to realization.
UNDERGRAD INTERN
Design Lab, Kathmandu University July 2022 – PresentGained hands-on experience in 3D printing, CNC (PocketNC), team collaboration, and problem-solving under Principal Investigator Pratisthit Lal Shrestha.
TEAM LEAD & MEMBER
Robotics Club, Kathmandu University April 2022 – PresentLed RC plane builds and contributed to Mars Rover and robotic arm projects as part of a team of tinkerers and problem solvers.
PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
ISOGRID STUDIO — Parametric Rib-Grid Design Tool
2024 — Present · Open Source · Web AppBrowser-based parametric isogrid/stiffener design tool for aerospace and mechanical engineering. Import STEP/STL/OBJ models, select faces, and generate isogrid, square, hex, rhombus, rectangular, or orthogrid patterns with real-time 3D preview. Includes material library, NASA presets, mass/stiffness metrics, and multi-format export (STL, STEP, OBJ). Built with Three.js.
Umbilical Release Mechanism
Nov 2025Designed and fabricated a pneumatic actuator-based mechanism to disengage Quick Disconnect (QD) couplers, critical for launch vehicle ground integration. Iterated from preliminary to final design.
Additive Manufacturing: Polycentric 4-Bar Knee Joint
2024 — 3rd Year ProjectFabrication of Polycentric 4-Bar Mechanism Based Knee Joint for Children Under Age 5. Gained hands-on experience using UTM, performing FEA in ANSYS, applying the Pugh Matrix, and understanding the importance of Design for Assembly (DFA).
Static Test — Class-M Motor
2025Conducted static firing tests up to Class-M using load cells and implemented rigorous safety protocols for the solid rocket motor developed by Team Udaan.
Solid Rocket Ignitor & Nozzle
2024Designed ignitor and nozzle for a solid rocket motor up to M-class. Used OpenMotor for performance analysis and Richard Nakka Excel tool for nozzle validation. Machined the nozzle on a lathe.
Fiberglass Composite Liner
2025Engineered a fiberglass composite liner for a solid rocket motor, optimizing thermal protection and structural integrity for extreme operating conditions.
Mid Power Rocket
2023Utilized OpenRocket for simulation, designed parts in SolidWorks, and employed 3D printing technology for fabrication of a mid-power sounding rocket.
PET Bottle to 3D Filament
2023 — 2nd Year ProjectReprocessed PET bottles into usable FDM 3D printing filament. Explored materials science, iterative development, and user-centric design principles.