Congrats to Prithvi Shukla on her PhD!
Refueling in space in one of the research areas Prithvi is working on at ZARM. Today she successfully completed her doctoral thesis.
On February 11, 2026, Prithvi Shukla successfully defended her PhD thesis entitled: “Experimental and Theoretical Investigation of Phase Separation through Screen Channel Liquid Acquisition Device in Earth’s gravity and Microgravity.”
Prithvi joined the Center of Applied Space Technology and Microgravity (ZARM) as a research assistant in the Multiphase Flow group headed by Michael Dreyer in October 2019. She was a member of the MIMENIMA research training group for three years before joining the ZBOT-FT (Zero Boil Off Tank – Filling and Transfer) project. Currently, as part of the research group of André Pingel, she is working on the TREX (Transfer and Refilling Experiment) project and a great asset to the team.
Her research focuses on the complex challenges of in-space refueling, specifically regarding propellant depots. She investigates the fundamental processes of liquid acquisition and phase separation, which are critical for the development of future space exploration mission beyond LEO. Prithvi: “ZARM was my first and only application for a PhD position, so I truly felt I was meant to be here. Space has fascinated me since childhood, and it is an absolute pleasure to be able to contribute, even in a small way, to this vast field through my work.”
We congratulate her and are delighted that now, after completing her doctorate, she will continue her research at ZARM.
