Palakollu’s rising star, 23-year-old Jahnavi Dangeti from Andhra Pradesh’s West Godavari district, has been selected as an astronaut candidate (ASCAN) by Titan Space Industries for its inaugural orbital mission to the Titan Orbital Port, scheduled in March 2029. Over the next three years, she will undergo intensive training in the US—covering flight simulation, spacecraft operations, survival, medical, psychological preparations, and zero‑gravity experience—led by veteran NASA astronaut William McArthur Jr.
Jahnavi earned her Electronics & Communication Engineering degree from Lovely Professional University, Punjab, and previously became the first Indian to complete NASA’s International Air and Space Program (IASP) at Kennedy Space Center. Selected from just 20 global participants, she served as “mission director” for Team Kennedy, overseeing rocket launches and multi‑axis training. She’s also a certified open‑water scuba diver and has contributed to NASA‑sponsored asteroid detection initiatives using the Pan‑STARRS telescope.
Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu praised her achievement, calling it a “beacon of hope” for India’s youth. Jahnavi hopes to inspire rural students and represent India on the international space exploration stage.
