Sirisha Bandla, an Indian American with ancestral ties to Andhra Pradesh, is set to become the second Indian-born woman to venture into space. Virgin Galactic recently announced its first fully-crewed spaceflight, which will also include the company’s founder, Richard Branson, among the mission specialists.
The flight, named ‘Unity 22,’ is scheduled for its 22nd flight test for VSS Unity and will mark the fourth crewed spaceflight for the company. It will be the first mission to carry a complete crew consisting of two pilots and four mission specialists in the cabin. Bandla, who hails from Guntur district in Andhra Pradesh but now resides in Texas, also serves as the Vice President of Government Affairs and Research Operations at Virgin Galactic.
Expressing her excitement, the 34-year-old Bandla tweeted her honor at being part of the Unity 22 crew and contributing to Virgin Galactic’s mission of making space accessible to all. In her role, she will be evaluating the human-tended research experience using an experiment from the University of Florida, involving handheld fixation tubes activated during various phases of the flight.
This landmark spaceflight will be livestreamed globally, allowing audiences worldwide to virtually participate in the Unity 22 test flight and witness the extraordinary experience provided to future astronauts.
Former NASA astronaut Kalpana Chawla, born in Karnal, was the first Indian woman in space. Unfortunately, she tragically lost her life during the Space Shuttle Columbia’s re-entry in 2003.
Sirisha Bandla, alongside three other mission specialists, including Richard Branson, will undergo the same training and preparation as future astronauts. Branson’s insights from his flight training and spaceflight will be used to enhance the journey for all upcoming astronaut customers.
Richard Branson emphasized that space belongs to all of humanity, and Virgin Galactic’s years of research and testing have positioned them at the forefront of a new commercial space industry, bringing space exploration within reach of humankind and promising positive changes for the world.
