Andhra Governor congratulates Dangeti Jahnavi, first Indian astronaut candidate to compete in NASA program

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Governor S Abdul Nazeer congratulated India’s youngest analog astronaut, Dangeti Jahnavi, who has become the first Indian selected to complete NASA’s International Air and Space Program.

Vijayawada (Andhra Pradesh) [India], June 25 (HBTV): Andhra Pradesh Governor S. Abdul Nazeer on Wednesday congratulated India’s youngest analog astronaut, Dangeti Jahnavi, who has become the first Indian selected to complete NASA’s prestigious International Air and Space Program.

Jahnavi, who hails from Palakollu in West Godavari district, is set to travel to space as part of the Astronaut Candidate (ASCAN) programme for US-based private aerospace company Titans Space. She is slated to participate in the EarthLoop Orbital Cruise mission in March 2029.

In a post on X, the Governor’s office said, ‘Governor of Andhra Pradesh Sri S. Abdul Nazeer has congratulated India’s youngest Analog Astronaut, Ms. Dangeti Jahnavi hailing from Palakollu, West Godavari district of the state, for being the first Indian to complete NASA's prestigious International Air and Space Program.’

The Governor noted that Jahnavi has also been chosen as an astronaut candidate to travel to the Titan's Orbital Port Space Station for the historic 2029 Low-Earth Orbit Expedition.

Praising her achievement, he said, ‘Ms. Jahnavi has proved that no dream is too distant when you have strong determination, and she will be an inspiration to many youth. Andhra Pradesh and the entire nation is proud of her outstanding achievement and wished her many more successes in her future endeavours.’

Meanwhile, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is set to become the second Indian to go into space as part of the upcoming Axiom-4 mission. The launch is scheduled for 2:31 a.m. EDT (12 noon IST) on Wednesday from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre in Florida.

The crew will travel aboard a new SpaceX Dragon spacecraft launched atop a Falcon 9 rocket. Docking with the orbiting laboratory is expected around 7 a.m. EDT (4 p.m. IST) on Thursday.

The four-member crew will be commanded by Peggy Whitson, former NASA astronaut and current Director of Human Spaceflight at Axiom Space. The mission specialists include ESA astronaut Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland and Tibor Kapu from Hungary.

(ANI)