Shawna Pandya shuts down NASA rumours: Not going to space, not an Opera singer

A day after media reports about Indian-origin Shawna Pandya being the third woman of Indian-origin to go to space started doing the rounds, Shawna has clarified saying the reports are baseless.

In a Facebook post, she said "There has been no new announcement, flight assignment or selection of missions with respect to my work as a citizen-scientist astronaut with Project Possum or The PHEnOM Project. I am no more or less likely to fly than any other member of than these projects than I was 24 hours ago." Though she did confirm thatshe was a teammate and crew member on both these projects.

Pandya also clarified that she isn't a neurosurgeon, just like she isn't an Opera singer even though she did once sing opera on stage once.




It was earlier reported that Pandya was one of two candidates shortlisted from 3,200 people in the Citizen Science Astronaut program to fly with eight other astronauts in 2018. The reports also called her a neurosurgeon, though Pandya ​clarified that while she did train in neurosurgery for a short period, her medical license is in general practice.


Pandya poses as part of the crew after testing a commercial spacesuit in microgravity. (Image: Facebook/ShawnaPandya)