Jahnavi Dangeti, a 23-year-old from Andhra Pradesh, is set to become the next Indian in space—and the first Indian woman to make the journey as a civilian. Titans Space recently selected her as an astronaut candidate for its Astronaut Class of 2025, placing her on track for an orbital mission in March 2029 led by veteran NASA astronaut Bill MacArthur.
Before this selection, she had already made history by becoming the first Indian to complete NASA’s prestigious International Air and Space Program. With that, she positioned herself as a key figure in India’s emerging private spaceflight landscape.
Jahnavi Dangeti Mission
Jahnavi Dangeti will join Titans Space’s first orbital mission, a five-hour-long flight led by veteran astronaut Bill MacArthur. The US-based private aerospace company selected her after years of dedication to space science. She became the first Indian to complete NASA’s International Air and Space Program, paving the way for this opportunity.
She also trained in analogue space missions, practised underwater astronaut simulations, and contributed to asteroid search campaigns with the International Astronomical Search Collaboration. During one such project, she discovered a provisional asteroid using data from the Pan-STARRS telescope.
In another milestone, she trained in planetary geology on Iceland’s Martian-like terrain, becoming the first Indian to do so. Jahnavi has combined rigorous STEM education and global outreach with a deep drive rooted in her small-town beginnings in Palakollu, Andhra Pradesh.
Small Town Roots to Space
Jahnavi Dangeti now represents what young Indians, especially those from rural areas, can achieve with determination and support. She earned her degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering from Lovely Professional University and went on to speak at ISRO events and leading engineering institutes like the NITs, where she inspired students across India.
She actively pushes to make space science accessible. “Many youths think they can’t go to space. But they can, if they make a serious try,” she told Deccan Chronicle. She also earned top accolades, including the People’s Choice Award at the NASA Space Apps Challenge and ISRO’s World Space Week Young Achiever Award.
If everything proceeds on schedule, she could become one of the first Indian civilians and one of the first Indian women to reach orbit, joining the ranks of Rakesh Sharma and possibly Shubhanshu Shukla, the IAF pilot chosen for Axiom-4.