TEAM
Wanting to build a Mars Rover is an ambitious undertaking – but dreaming big is what we do. Over the past five years, what started in a small garage has grown to more than 60 bright and driven people rethinking the current approach to Mars exploration.In organizational and technical projects we work on designing, developing, and improving the next-generation Mars rover and everything around it.
United under our common goal, Team Tumbleweed brings together members from all across the globe.
Wanting to build a Mars Rover is an ambitious undertaking.
Especially for a team of young scientists without a head-start in the space industry – but dreaming big is what we do. Over the past five years, what started in a small garage has grown to more than 60 bright and driven people rethinking the current approach to Mars exploration. Our interdisciplinary team’s organizational and technical projects work on designing, developing, and improving the next-generation Mars rover and everything around it.
LEADERSHIP
The Teams
EXECUTIVE
Together with leadership, our executive team is responsible for keeping overhead on the various departments, creating strategies, goals, and structures. Bringing together all the different aspects of working on the Tumbleweed Mission, this team makes sure each project takes us one step further on our Road to Mars.

Michael Sandrieser
Head of Structural Engineering

First Last
Head of Funding
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
As developing a Mars rover requires a considerable amount of resources and financial support, the business team works hard to guarantee us the necessary funding, acting as a support entity for the other teams. They also work closely with our partners to ensure our collaborations run smoothly.
Supervisor: Julian Rothenbuchner

Sjoerd Fijan
Secretary

Jai Chahar
Partnership Strategist
Business Strategist

Farayi Karumazondo
Business Strategist

Maxim Pavlov
Partnership Strategist

Marinos Podimatis
Financial Manager

Julian Wahlmüller
Partnership Strategist
Legal Advisor
MEDIA
As one of the few non-technical subteams, Media is responsible for most of what you see of Team Tumbleweed around the internet. This includes producing content for and running our various social media accounts, as well as the website.
Supervisor: Amelie Finan

Peter Carvalho
Social Media Strategist

Leonhard Goliasch
Graphic Designer

Garnet John
Social Media Manager

Anisha Nookala
Graphic Designer

Austin Phillips
Content Creator
OPERATIONS
To ensure maximum productivity, the operations team oversees the working habits of the team, implements procedures as well as routines, and plans out objectives and milestones. Through this, they provide a frictionless work environment to our members, whose entire focus can lie on our goal: building a Mars rover.
Supervisor: Matthias Frenzl

Vincent Schorren
Project Management Officer

Emile Schummer
IT Manager
Office Manager
PEOPLE AND CULTURE (HR)
The People and Culture team makes sure communication within the team runs smoothly. The subteam’s responsibilities include handling the recruiting process from application to onboarding and supporting us with any issues that may arise for members.
Supervisor: Matthias Frenzl

Jacobus Fourie
People Manager
TECHNICAL PROJECTS
PROJECT 0: Mars Demonstrator Mission Science Case Detailed Development
Science goals lie in the heart of the rationale of any deep space mission. P0 defines science cases in the areas of atmospheric science, surface geology, interior geology and geophysics, astrobiology, and the preparation of human Mars exploration. The team’s ultimate goal is the delivery of a full mission proposal, including science goals, scientific requirements, and the definition, selection, and design of the required instruments to fulfill the mission’s scientific purposes.
Supervisor: James Kingsnorth

Giovanni Cozzolongo
Mission Scientist

Henry Manelski
Mission Scientist

Luka Pikulić
Mission Scientist

Elemer San Miguel
Mission Scientist

Abhimanyu Shanbhag
Mission Scientist

Danny Tjokrosetio
Mission Scientist
PROJECT 1: Mars and Earth Demonstrator Mission Systems Engineering
Systems engineering is at the core of any space mission. This project formalizes earlier system engineering efforts by combining European space standards and utilizing Model-Based Systems Engineering approaches prevalent in the industry. Its importance lies in synchronizing all other technical projects and preparing upcoming Earth demonstration missions.
Supervisor: Lucas Cohen

Mihir Kapadia
Systems Engineer

Furqan Mahmood
Systems Engineer

Markus Renoldner
Systems Engineer

Darius-Andrei Vicovan
Systems Engineer
PROJECT 2: Outer/Inner Structure and Deployment Mechanism Lab Demonstrator
The aim of the mechanical and testing engineers on this project is to design and build a structurally rigid, foldable outer and inner structure for the Tumbleweed rover that is able to support the components from the other technical projects. It is crucial to improve, test, and verify the capabilities of a functional deployment mechanism, taking aerodynamics and possible obstacles into consideration.
Supervisor: Michael Sandrieser

Nils Neumeister
Project Manager
Mechanical Engineer

Yara Eggenfellner
Mechanical Engineer
Testing Engineer

Sabin Ilegitim
Aerodynamics Engineer
Mechanical Engineer

Yasmine Mafoutsis
Testing Engineer
Mechanical Engineer

Mikhail Maximchuk
Mechatronics Engineer

Ben Placke
Mechanical Engineer

Joshika Sachithanandan
Testing Engineer

Arun Osman
Mechatronics Engineer

Marco Zambolin
Mechanical Engineer
PROJECT 3: Aerodynamics and Sails Wind Tunnel/Lab Demonstrator
The P3 team consists of enthusiastic engineers who love the beauty of aerodynamics. The team is responsible for designing the heart of the Tumbleweed, the sails, which provide the propelling power of the rover and help land it on the surface of Mars. Tasks include aerodynamic design and analysis of the sails and the entire rover.
Supervisor: Michael Sandrieser

Zoltán Túri
Aerodynamics Engineer
Mechanical Engineer

Noah Nasr El Din
Aerodynamics Engineer

Divya Sreedharan Menon
Testing Engineer

Tristan Souillart
Structural Engineer
PROJECT 4: Pods and Thermal Concept Initial Prototype
With temperatures that can vary from -140°C to +30°C, harmful radiation, and a dusty atmosphere, the Pods are responsible for protecting the internal components from the harsh Martian environment. This project aims at designing a compact, lightweight, and efficient Thermal Management System responsible for maintaining the electrical and electronic components within their operating temperatures throughout the mission.
Supervisor: Michael Sandrieser

Mihai Coman
Project Manager
Mechanical Engineer
Testing Engineer

Dimitri Buryak
Testing Engineer

Bianca Crisan
Thermal Engineer
PROJECT 5: Location and Attitude Determination System Embedded Demonstration
The Tumbleweed Mars Rover traverses the Martian surface at high speeds and in a semi-controlled manner. Knowing its position at all times is important to give context to measurements done with scientific instruments. In Project P5, the position determination of a semi-controlled, fast-moving agent in an unknown environment is addressed.
Supervisor: Felix Abel

Tim Holthuijsen
Electrical & Software Engineer

William Moretti
Electrical & Software Engineer
PROJECT 6: Onboard and Data Processing Computer Analysis and Design
At the heart of any spacecraft, the computers control the Rover and all its subsystems. P6 addresses the challenging task of designing a space-grade computing architecture that can withstand the harsh Martian environment.
Supervisor: Felix Abel

Nassim Eddini
Electrical & Software Engineer

Amirreza Movahedin
Electrical & Software Engineer

Gustavo Villaescusa
Electrical & Software Engineer
PROJECT 7: Electrical Power System Analysis and Design
The P7 team is responsible for the development of lightweight solar panels and electrical power systems for the rover. The electrical power system is critical to the functioning of the rover and simultaneously a major factor for the weight. Low weight is paramount for the Tumbleweed rover, with P7 fulfilling a critical role in designing the next-generation electrical power system.
Supervisor: Cristian Ferent

Sudarshan Bhat
Power & Analogue Electronics Engineer

Mojtaba Karimi
Power & Analogue Electronics Engineer
PROJECT 8: Transmit-Receive Module Analysis and Design
The P8 project team is working on the Transmit and Receive Module (TRM), which handles the communications of the Tumbleweed rover. The TRM will transmit all the data gathered during the mission – which is essential for scientific analysis – as well as receive commands from Earth.
Supervisor: Felix Abel

Ali Haider
Telecommunications Engineer

Carlos Castro Garcia
Telecommunications Engineer

Patrik Ahola
Telecommunications Engineer