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Sirisha Bandla

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Sirisha Bandla
File:Bandla sirisha.jpg
Born
Andhra Pradesh, India
StatusActive
Alma materPurdue University, George Washington University
Space career
Current occupation
Vice President of Government Affairs and Research Operations, Virgin Galactic
MissionsUnity 22

Sirisha Bandla (c. 1988) is an Indian-American aeronautical engineer and commercial astronaut. She's the Vice President of Government Affairs and Research Operations for Virgin Galactic. She flew on the Virgin Galactic Unity 22 mission which made her the second India-born woman to go to space.[1][2][3]

Early life and education

Bandla was born in the Guntur district in the Southern state of Andhra Pradesh, India.[1][2] After her birth, Bandla's family moved to Tenali in Guntur. Until the age of five, Bandla split her time between her Grandfather's house in Hyderabad, and her Grandmother's house in Tenali.[4] Bandla later moved to Houston, United States with her parents.[4][5]

Bandla received her Bachelor's Degree in Aeronautical Engineering from Purdue University. She subsequently achieved her Masters in Business Administration from Georgetown University.[6]

Career

Bandla hoped to become a NASA astronaut but was ruled out on medical grounds due to her eyesight.[5] She previously worked for the Commercial Spaceflight Federation (CSF) as an aerospace engineer.[6] At CSF, Bandla worked with Matthew Isakowitz. She later co-founded the Matthew Isakowitz Fellowship in his honor.[7]

Bandla joined Virgin Galactic in 2015, where she works as the Vice President of Government Affairs.[2] On Sunday 11th July, 2021 Bandla flew on the Virgin Galactic Unity 22 test flight alongside Sir Richard Branson, Dave Mackay, Michael Masucci, Beth Moses, Colin Bennet. The rocket plane flew 85km above Earth.[1] During the flight, Bandla conducted an experiment from the University of Florida to investigate how plants react to the change in gravity.[8] About her flight, Bandla's grandfather, Dr Bandla Nagaiah, said: “From a very young age she had this ambition to explore the sky, the moon, and the stars. Sirisha had set her eyes on space, and I am not at all surprised that she is all set to realise her dream."[9]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Sirisha Bandla: India celebrates woman who flew on Virgin Galactic". BBC News. 2021-07-12. Retrieved 2021-07-13.
  2. ^ a b c "Family of Indian-American astronaut on Virgin Galactic crew "happy and overwhelmed"". Reuters. 2021-07-05. Retrieved 2021-07-13.
  3. ^ Business, Diksha Madhok, CNN. "Sirisha Bandla, India-born woman and Virgin Galactic executive, flies into space with Richard Branson". CNN. Retrieved 2021-07-13. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ a b "Sirisha Bandla goes to space: 'Always wanted to explore sky, stars'". The Indian Express. 2021-07-12. Retrieved 2021-07-13.
  5. ^ a b "Indian-origin aeronautical engineer Sirisha Bandla set to fly into space on Virgin Galactic spacecraft". The Economic Times. Retrieved 2021-07-13.
  6. ^ a b "Sirisha Bandla will become the second Indian-born woman to fly into space". The Economic Times. Retrieved 2021-07-13.
  7. ^ "MIFP Team Member Sirisha Bandla Earns Astronaut Wings on Virgin Galactic Spaceflight". Matthew Isakowitz Fellowship Program. Retrieved 2021-07-13.
  8. ^ Chang, Kenneth (2021-07-11). "Who were the crew members aboard the flight?". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-07-13.
  9. ^ "Sirisha Bandla goes to space: 'Always wanted to explore sky, stars'". The Indian Express. 2021-07-12. Retrieved 2021-07-13.
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