'UAE Has Done Wonders In Space': 23-Year-Old Indian Woman Set To Reach Stars In 2029

In June this year, Jahnavi Dangeti caught the attention of Indians and global space enthusiasts alike when she was selected as an astronaut candidate for a 2029 mission to space by Titans Space Industries, a privately held company seeking to develop cost-effective space exploration technologies.

Like many other kids, Jahnavi first dreamt of being an astronaut as a young girl looking up at the sky with wonder. Bedtime stories and her belief that the "moon was following her" combined to create a passion for reaching what lies beyond Earth.

While astronaut dreams are not unusual for kids asked what they want to be when they grow up, Jahnavi was determined that her dream would not remain a passing wishful phase of childhood; it would become reality.

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During school, when her friends asked her of her biggest passion, Jahnavi says she did not have any other answer. "It was always space." As an 11-year-old, her passion was fuelled by the frequent plane trips she took from India, where she lives with her grandparents, to Kuwait, to visit her parents who work there.

"How is this plane even in the air?" was a constant question she asked. Seeing the pilots' commanding presence only excited the 'kid from Palakollu', a village in Andhra Pradesh, and motivated her "to seek a career in the skies".

As a school student, she stuck to her fascination of science, participating in workshops and giving talks, but her first real foray into the field was during ISRO Space Week, a competition organised by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). With a presentation on ionic propulsion, her high school team bagged first place among a sea of candidates that included Masters and PhD students.

When she graduated school, she looked to university as a pathway to reach space, and went for a major in Electronics and Communications. "It is a big myth that the only way to reach space is by being an astronaut; you can contribute to the sector through different fields," Jahnavi said.

While in university, Jahnavi created an Instagram account, with the aim to network with other space enthusiasts, and hold discussions; soon, she learnt of a programme in collaboration with Nasa, which enabled amateurs to contribute to real research.

Needless to say, she signed up and, during the course of the international search collaboration programme, Jahnavi discovered an asteroid. It wasn't long after that Titan Space discovered her.

The young space enthusiast recalled the moment she received the confirmation email - she said she simply refused to believe it. As she puts it, "The sky is no longer the limit; it is the beginning."

Like any other achiever, she posted an update on her LinkedIn, celebrating her future tryst with the stars. What followed was a flurry of media reports, with many hailing her as the first Indian girl to go to space with Nasa - a misconception Jahnavi wants to correct.

While Titans Space training will be led by several veteran astronauts who have trained in Nasa and undertaken missions, the two institutes are not affiliated in any way. Jahnavi was indeed the first Indian to complete International Air and Space Programme (IASP) conducted at one of NASA's centres, but this is an achievement from 2021, and does not have to do with her 2029 mission, she clarified to Khaleej Times.

Her journey to the stars marks a new chapter in not just her life, but also a defining moment for the Indian community, who celebrated one of their own en route to reach the stars at such a young age. She was welcomed by Indian expatriates abroad, with some even inviting her to come visit them in countries like UAE and other places in the Gulf.

Living in India, Jahnavi is not a stranger to the space race, with the country's ISRO serving as a giant in the field, and astronauts like Rakesh Sharma, APJ Abdul Kalam, Sunita Williams, and Kalpana Chawla serving as inspiration.

While space was dominated by players such as US and Russia centuries ago, the sector has expanded to include many more countries that are launching landmark missions and claiming their own stake in the universe of late. Jahnavi said "she has been inspired by the race of space programmes in countries like UAE, Australia, Brazil, and Poland."

She added: "The UAE has made incredible progress, and done wonders in such a short time: sending an astronaut to the ISS, launching the Hope Mars mission, and also focusing on education and public engagement in space."

Jahnavi's goal is to one day step on the red planet (Mars) and be a part of building something greater; "maybe even plant the first seed of life in another world," she said.

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