Jahnavi Dangeti, a 23-year-old electronics and communications engineering graduate from Lovely Professional University and a native of Palakollu, Andhra Pradesh, has been selected as an Astronaut Candidate (ASCAN) by the U.S.-based private space agency Titans Space Industries. She is slated to embark on an orbital space mission in 2029.
Jahnavi made history as the first Indian to complete NASA’s International Air and Space Program (IASP), earning recognition through underwater survival training, zero-gravity simulations, and analog astronaut missions . Now, she is set to embark on a three-year ASCAN training beginning in 2026—covering spacecraft systems, flight simulation, endurance, and psychological preparedness for orbital travel.
The mission will be led by veteran National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Astronaut Colonel (Retd.) William Mc. Arthur Jr., who is the Chief Astronaut of the Titans Space Mission.
Sharing her excitement on her official Instagram page, Ms. Jahnavi said, “Starting in 2026, I will undergo three years of rigorous astronaut training through Titan Space’s ASCAN programme, which will include flight simulation, spacecraft operations, survival training, and both medical and psychological conditioning.”
Looking ahead to the mission, she added, “The Titans Space orbital flight, set for launch in 2029, will span five hours and offer a uniquely transformative environment for scientific research and the advancement of human spaceflight.”
Notably, in 2022, Ms. Jahnavi became the youngest participant in the Analog Astronaut Programme at the Analog Astronaut Training Centre (AATC) in Krakow, South Poland.
