Jahnavi holds the distinction of being the first Indian to complete NASA’s prestigious International Air and Space Program.
Published Jun 24, 2025 | 8:45 AM ⚊ Updated Jun 25, 2025 | 6:37 PM
Dangeti Jahnavi. (Instagram)
Synopsis: Andhra Pradesh native Dangeti Jahnavi is set to travel to space in 2029. Jahnavi has been selected as an Astronaut Candidate (ASCAN) for Titans Space to travel to its Orbital Port Space Station
Andhra Pradesh native Dangeti Jahnavi, a resident of Palakollu in the West Godavari district, holds the distinction of being the first Indian to complete NASA’s prestigious International Air and Space Program and is set to travel to space in 2029.
She graduated in Electronics and Communication Engineering at Lovely Professional University in Punjab, after finishing her Intermediate education in her hometown of Palakollu. Her parents, Srinivas and Padmasri, currently reside in Kuwait for work.
“As a kid who believed that the Moon followed me, I didn’t know it was leading me here. Today, that childhood wonder becomes a part of my reality,” Jahnavi wrote on Instagram.
Jahnavi has been selected as an Astronaut Candidate (ASCAN) for Titans Space to travel to its Orbital Port Space Station, a US-based project slated for inauguration in the next four years.
She said the inaugural mission, set for 2029, will be a Titans Space orbital flight lasting five hours. It will feature three hours of sustained zero gravity, offering a uniquely transformative environment for scientific research and human spaceflight advancement.
“We’ll orbit the Earth twice and witness two sunrises and two sunsets — all in one breathtaking mission,” she said.
The mission will be led by veteran NASA astronaut and retired US Army Colonel William McArthur Jr., who serves as Chief Astronaut for Titans Space.
“It is a tremendous honour to train and fly under the leadership of someone with such extraordinary service and contributions to human spaceflight,” Jahnavi said.
Over the next three years, starting in 2026, she will undergo intensive astronaut training through Titans Space’s ASCAN programme, which includes spacecraft systems, flight simulation (zero-g flights), spacecraft procedures, survival training, medical evaluations, and psychological assessments.
“The program is designed to fully prepare us—physically, mentally, and technically—for the demands of human spaceflight and scientific research in microgravity,” she said.
Jahnavi is also the recipient of numerous accolades, including the People’s Choice Award at the NASA Space Apps Challenge and the ISRO World Space Week Young Achiever Award.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
