This is an exciting week for Dr. Shauna Pandia and her “space friends”.
Dr. Brandon, a diver who was born in Edmonton and grew up in Edmonton, Scientist-Astronaut Candidate She has been fascinated by space travel since she can remember.
“Like many kids, I want to be an astronaut when I grow up,” Pandia told Global News on Thursday.
“I was greatly inspired Dr. Roberta Bondar, The first Canadian female astronaut to enter space. I just looked at her background and said:’She is Canadian, I am Canadian. She is female, and I am female.
“‘So all I have to do now is to become a doctor neuroscientist astronaut, and then this is my way.'”
This is what she did, earning a degree in neuroscience at the University of Alberta, studying medicine, and then studying for a master’s degree at the International Space University in France, which she described as “the Star Fleet Academy in real life.”
“You will understand all the knowledge related to space, whether it is space law, space life science or space medicine.”
Now, it is her job to make space travel as safe as possible.
“The Master’s Program at the International Space University is the first time I realized that you can combine your passion for space and medicine and turn it into a career.”
Pandya serves as a medical consultant for a number of space, medical, and technology companies.
During the 2018 PoSSUM parabolic flight event, Dr. Shawna Pandya tested the next-generation Final Frontier IVA (in-vehicle activity) spacesuit in a microgravity environment.
Courtesy: Kelly Geraldi
She wears many hats, including VP Immersive Medicine Panasonic Technology, Director of Medical Research Track assembly and construction, director International Institute of Astronautics (IIAS)/PoSSUM Space Medicine Group Clinical Lecturer at the University of Alberta.
“Any opportunity to help us develop human space flight, exploration… the ability to make space easier and safer-I am (it).”
“So many things have happened. This is the best time for space and manned space flight.”
The past week was particularly exciting.
ex Amazon Ceo Jeff Bezos On Tuesday, his three crew members flew 107 kilometers above the earth, marking the success of his space flight Blue origin Spacecraft.
The crew launched from Blue Origin’s launch site No. 1 launch site at 9 a.m. Eastern Time, with a flight time of 10 minutes and 20 seconds. Bezos’s trip was nine days after Virgin Galactic’s Richard Branson flew about 85 kilometers in the air on a rocket ship he funded.
“I know people will have mixed feelings, but this is indeed the beginning of a new era of accessibility,” Pandya said. “And it’s not just for the space service objects in the traditional sense: engineers, pilots, scientists.”
During the 2019 PoSSUM project gravity migration course, Dr. Shawna Pandya tested the Final Frontier Design EVA (extravehicular activity) spacesuit in the gravity migration system of the Canadian Space Agency’s High Bay.
Courtesy: Project Po UM
She believes that the incredible curiosity of humans opens up many possibilities.
“Space is the next platform. When we open space, what will happen next? This is what really excites me in this special era of human space flight.”
Although Pandya believes that Bezos and Branson put their “butt on the seat” to show confidence in the technology, she is more pleased to see another crew member on board.
“Wally Fink, he and Blue origin, She was part of the original Mercury 13, these 13 female astronauts from the Mercury era were screened as potential NASA astronauts in the 1960s, but they never flew due to gender prejudice. “
In 1961, Fink was among the best in the Women in Space Program. “Mercury 13” and the astronauts selected by NASA underwent the same physical and psychological tests and completed the training. However, the plan was cancelled, and none of the 13 women ultimately flew.
On July 20, Fink became the oldest person ever to fly into space at the age of 82.
Pandya said: “I am very happy to see Wally Funk spend her day this week.”
“This is really’Let’s pave the way for this rocket, who is the pioneer, who ignited the dream, who waited 62 years to enter space’, let us equip this rocket with a person who deserves it, “She is great. “
Pandia hopes that one day she can enter space. Commercial space travel makes this more possible.
“In these commercial space flight announcements, what’s really exciting is… my crew and my teammate Kellie Gerardi were announced as one of the first scientists and astronauts to fly in the future by Virgin Atlantic.”
She said Gerardi is a citizen scientist and STEM influencer, “an amazing person” and “perfect candidate.”
NASA’s all-female astronaut team completes battery improvements outside the International Space Station
“When we thought about going into space, it used to be for white military pilots,” Pandya said.
“This is really our time.
“This is the time when we can allow scientists, researchers, and people who traditionally have no access to space-these storytellers, entrepreneurs and artists-to use space and create a new platform for creativity, for the sake of science, for Research.”
Dr. Shawna Pandya tried on the Kirby-Morgan helmet during his training as a diving medical technician at the Aquarius Coral Reef Base.
Courtesy: World Extreme Medical Organization/Mark Hannaford
“This is just the beginning. Be a part of it, live in this era of history, and witness this? My space friends and I have been watching. We are very excited. We are very excited about what this means for the future of science, engineering, and the future. Excited.”
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Pandia himself contributed to this research.She just published a paper Aerospace Professionals Association Medical guidelines on commercial suborbital space flight.
“This is really exciting. This is a historic month for space travel.”
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