
Conquering seas, skies: This 23-year-old Indian astronaut is set to go to space in 2029
The young space enthusiast never left her childhood wonder for the skies, and now will venture outside Earth, as an astronaut candidate for the Titans Space Astronaut Class of 2025.
The mission will be led by veteran Nasa astronaut and retired US Army Colonel William McArthur Jr., now serving as Chief Astronaut at Titans Space.
Dangeti will embark on "multiple Earth orbits, sustained weightlessness, and a transformative environment for research and learning."
Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.
Pushing the limits are not new for this astronaut hailing from Andhra Pradesh; she was also the first Indian to be selected for NASA's International Air and Space Program (IASP), and has undergone astronaut training at AATC Poland, Geospace Iceland, and Project PoSSUM.
"As a child, I often looked up at the moon believing it was following me. That sense of wonder never left — and today, I'm honored to share that it's becoming a part of my reality," she shared.
While she soars to heights beyond our blue planet, Dangeti also goes to depths below ground level. The budding astronaut is also an advanced adventure scuba diver, with her experience in such "extreme environments further enhancing training for space missions".
The 2029 mission will require rigorous training; starting in 2026, she will undergo comprehensive astronaut training — including spacecraft systems, mission simulation, zero-gravity flights, emergency procedures, psychological assessments, and spaceflight operations.
"This mission is not just about going to space — it's about bringing others along through inspiration, science, and shared dreams," she said.
Wearing many hats, she is also a STEM educator and speaker, seeking to not just explore space for herself, but also "inspire the next generation".

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The National
11 hours ago
- The National
Nasa discovers interstellar comet travelling through solar system
A comet is currently hurtling its way through our solar system despite it originating elsewhere, US space agency Nasa has revealed. The interstellar comet, which has been named 3I/Atlas, is about 670 million kilometres from Earth. "The comet poses no threat to Earth and will remain at a distance of at least 1.6 astronomical units (about 150 million miles or 240 million km)," a statement from Nasa read. "It is currently about 4.5 au from the Sun. 3I/Atlas will reach its closest approach to the Sun around October 30, at a distance of 1.4 au – just inside the orbit of Mars." Nasa said the comet would remain visible to ground-based telescopes until September, after which it will be passing too close to the Sun to be observed. It is expected to reappear on the other side of the Sun by early December, once again allowing for observation.


Khaleej Times
2 days ago
- Khaleej Times
Nasa astronaut Anil Menon to embark on first mission to International Space Station
Nasa astronaut Anil Menon has been assigned his first mission to the International Space Station, serving as a flight engineer and Expedition 75 crew member, Nasa said in its official statement. According to Nasa, Menon will launch aboard the Roscosmos Soyuz MS-29 spacecraft in June 2026, accompanied by Roscosmos cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina. After launching from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the trio will spend approximately eight months aboard the orbiting laboratory. During his expedition, Menon will conduct scientific investigations and technology demonstrations to help prepare humans for future space missions and benefit humanity. Selected as a Nasa astronaut in 2021, Menon graduated with the 23rd astronaut class in 2024. After completing initial astronaut candidate training, he began preparing for his first space station flight assignment. Menon was born and raised in Minneapolis and is an emergency medicine physician, mechanical engineer, and colonel in the United States Space Force. He was born to Indian and Ukrainian parents, the Nasa statement added. Menon holds a bachelor's degree in neurobiology from Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, a master's degree in mechanical engineering, and a medical degree from Stanford University in California. Menon completed his emergency medicine and aerospace medicine residency at Stanford and the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. In his spare time, he still practices emergency medicine at Memorial Hermann's Texas Medical Center and teaches residents at the University of Texas' residency programme. Menon served as SpaceX's first flight surgeon, helping to launch the first crewed Dragon spacecraft on NASA's SpaceX Demo-2 mission and building SpaceX's medical organisation to support humans on future missions. He served as a crew flight surgeon for both SpaceX flights and NASA expeditions aboard the space station. For nearly 25 years, people have lived and worked continuously aboard the International Space Station, advancing scientific knowledge and conducting critical research for the benefit of humanity and our home planet. Space station research supports the future of human spaceflight as Nasa looks toward deep space missions to the Moon under the Artemis campaign and in preparation for future human missions to Mars, as well as expanding commercial opportunities in low Earth orbit and beyond.


The National
4 days ago
- The National
To boldly grow: India's history-making astronaut farms in space
India 's first astronaut to step aboard the International Space Station (ISS) is carrying out a farming experiment that could help feed astronauts on future missions to the Moon and Mars. Shubhanshu Shukla, a fighter pilot in the Indian Air Force, will attempt to grow mung beans and fenugreek, two edible plants, in microgravity, as part of Axiom Space's fourth private mission to the orbiting laboratory. The experiments are being carried out in partnership with India's space agency, ISRO, which is participating in the mission to help prepare for long-duration crewed flights in the future. It also marks progress for India's plans for human space flight, as it hopes to set up its own space station later this decade. 'Space farming will be a game-changer for long-duration missions to the Moon and Mars because astronauts simply cannot pack months or years' worth of food in a rocket. The weight and cost would be prohibitive,' Dr Dimitra Atri, principal investigator at New York University Abu Dhabi's Space Exploration Laboratory, told The National. The research aboard Axiom-4, which launched on June 25 from Florida and docked with the ISS a day later, focuses on understanding how these plants germinate and grow in a zero-gravity environment. According to Axiom, fenugreek and mung beans were selected for their rapid growth, high nutritional value and ability to adapt to confined conditions. The mung bean seeds were pre-soaked to allow for faster germination, a technique often used in terrestrial agriculture. 'Growing fresh vegetables in space solves this logistical challenge while simultaneously producing oxygen and purifying the air, effectively transforming plants into a comprehensive life support system,' said Dr Atri. 'Additionally, tending to something green and living helps maintain astronauts' psychological well-being during extended stays on the lunar surface or the long, isolated journey to Mars.' Mr Shukla has also been working on a space microalgae experiment, growing sample bags and capturing images of the algae strains. These microscopic organisms could serve as a sustainable, nutrient-rich food source for future deep space missions, according to Axiom Space. Space farming milestones Researchers have been increasingly focusing on farming efforts in space in the past decade, so astronauts can one day produce their own food. In 2015, Nasa astronauts successfully grew red romaine lettuce on the ISS, which was the first time food had been grown, harvested and eaten in space. The lettuce was cultivated using the Veggie Growth Chamber, a portable greenhouse equipped with LED lighting and water pillows. Astronauts harvested radishes aboard the ISS in 2021 in an experiment led by Nasa's Plant Habitat-02 project. The goal was to study how edible root vegetables, like radishes, develop in space and whether they can be cultivated consistently. Experiments like these have helped scientists develop better growth chambers, study how plant genes behave or respond in space conditions and understand how different crops absorb nutrients without soil. Apart from space farming, Mr Shukla is carrying out experiments on muscle loss in microgravity and the behaviour of tardigrades, which are tiny, resilient organisms known for surviving extreme environments. He is also taking part in cognitive performance studies that monitor how astronauts adapt mentally and physically during space flight. A moment of pride for India Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a video call with Mr Shukla aboard the ISS on Saturday, during which he said the mission was a historic moment for the country. 'Today, you are farthest from your motherland, but you are closest to the hearts of 140 crore (a billion) Indians,' Mr Modi told him. Mr Shukla spoke about the challenges of adapting to space, including how basic tasks can be difficult. 'Sleeping is a big challenge … I had to tie my feet down to stay in place,' he said. He also described how Earth appears from orbit, saying: 'From space, one cannot see borders … India appears truly grand, very big … much bigger than on a map.' The astronaut brought a taste of India to orbit by offering his crewmates traditional dishes such as carrot halwa (carrot pudding), moong dal halwa (desert with lentils, ghee and milk) and mango juice. 'My fellow astronauts enjoyed the food,' he said. India's growing space ambitions India has been increasing investment in space exploration efforts, with plans to join the ranks of long-term human spacefaring nations. ISRO is preparing for its first crewed mission under the Gaganyaan programme, which aims to send Indian astronauts to low-Earth orbit aboard a domestically built spacecraft.