Indian-American Raja Chari To Be Part Of NASA's Astronaut Program

NASA has selected Indian-origin Raja Chari as a candidate for the 2017 Astronaut Candidate Class that starts from August 2017.

Vice President Mike Pence and NASA introduced the 12 candidates on June 7.

(Image Courtesy: The Quint)

Chari has a bachelor’s degree in Astronautical Engineering and Engineering Science from the US Air Force Academy. He then did Masters in Aeronautics and Astronautics from MIT and a piloting course from the US Naval Test Pilot School.

 The 39-year old US Air Force colonel-elect hails from Cedar Falls, Iowa and has three children. He was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. His father Srinivas Chari was an engineer who studied at Osmania University in Hyderabad and later moved to the United States.

(Image Courtesy: Twitter/NASA)

Raja Chari starts his training as a candidate at NASA in August after which he will work in the technical department in the Astronaut Office and then may get flight assignments.

He has received several awards and accolades, some of which are:

• Defense Meritorious Service Medal

• Meritorious Service Medal

• Aerial Achievement Medal

• Air Force Commendation Medal

• Air Force Achievement Medal

• Iraq Campaign Medal

• Korean Defense Service Medal

• Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal

About 12 candidates were chosen from more than 18,300 applications. The other candidates include postdoctoral fellow Jessica Watkins, US Army Major and surgeon Frank Rubio, US Marines Major Jasmine Moghbeli, SpaceX engineer Robb Kulin, US Navy SEAL and medic Jonny Kim, and US Navy Lieutenant Kayla Barron among others. This is the largest batch of astronauts at NASA.

(Image Courtesy: NASA)

Raja Chari is the third Indian-origin astronaut in NASA after Kalpana Chawla and Sunita Williams. Chawla who hailed from Karnal and was the first Indian-origin woman in space died in the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster in 2003. Williams, an Indian-Slovenian astronaut, and US Navy officer was launched to the International Space Station (ISS) with the Discovery Space Shuttle in 2006 and is now involved in US commercial spaceflights.

(Image Courtesy: AajTak)

(Featured Image Courtesy: NASA)