shawnapandya

TODAY IS THE DAY. After 9 years with @iias_nlc, 10 research parabolic flights, 2 aquanaut missions, a running tally of EVA/IVA spacesuit evaluations, water operations, neutral buoyancy lab runs and austere environment expeditions- and incredible teammates - today I embark upon what I know I was born to do. I am delighted to share that I have been named @iias_nlc Astronaut 002 on the IIAS-02 Suborbital Research Mission, to fly aboard the @virgingalactic Delta class of spacecraft as it becomes operational in the coming years. Better yet, I get to do it with the best teammates anyone could ask for, two phenomenal women I have worked closely with for years, @kelliegerardi & Dr. @spacenorah, with a view towards furthering space-based biomedical & physiological research. It is not lost on me that I am the 1st named Canadian female commercial astronaut, and the 4th Indian origin female astronaut. These communities have shaped who I am, and I promise to do you proud. I AM READY FOR IT. 👩🏽‍🚀🚀🏥🇨🇦🇮🇳 #space #science #astronaut #astronautics #medicine #spacemedicine #spaceflight #humanspaceflight #commercialspaceflight #research #discover #discovery #explore #exploration #pushthelimits #daretoexplore #beextreme #womeninstem #canada #canadianastronaut #india #indianastronaut

I took this photo at the Huntsville Space & Rocket Centre in 2022. I don't work for NASA, but I LOVE this image because its "doctor on Mars vibes" symbolize my love for ever-emerging horizons in space medicine. To that end, I wanted to take the time to cover some of the space medicine & astronautics wins from last year, so here we go: - Sent my friend @kelliegerardi to space aboard IIAS-01 @virgingalactic while performing groundbreaking research on this flight & working with an amazing payload team - Profiled by @nature.careers & @canadianmint (!!) - Took part in NEP2NE, my 2nd aquanaut mission with an amazing crew & - Made it back to parabolic flight, neutral buoyancy lab, aeronomy mission with @iias_nlc - Was on expedition to the Arctic circle - Pioneered work on mixed reality PoCUS with @luxsonic and making it to the finals of the @canadianspaceagency @impact.canada Deep Space Healthcare Challenge - Taught Space Medicine at IIAS, Oxford @spaceuniversity Technology & the Future of Medicine, University of Hawaii, KCLWMS, Yale & more - Collaborated with NebulaR&D to send 6 neuroscience payloads aboard @axiom.space Ax-2 & another payload with @spacex @polarisprogram - Pioneered work on image stability in VR/360 video & continuous glucose monitoring in @nrc_cnrc parabolic flight - Presented on VR, biometrics, pupillometry in 0g at @nasa Investigators Workshop, @nsrc2023 & @aerospacemedicalassociation - Was part of numerous talks, panels & podcasts on reproduction and sexuality in human spaceflight, including at @sxsw & @newworldsinstitute - Worked with incredible collaborators to perform groundbreaking work on synthetic skin grafting in 0g and on an aquanaut expedition - Worked with @real_dr.g to study nematode behavior on an aquanaut mission - Wrote a review on Astronaut Safety & Rescue for @iafastro - Was a live analyst for the Chandrayaan-3 Moon landing - Co-hosted at @worldextrememedicine, served as the Track Chair at the ISDC LaunchPad, hosted a Macro session at @aiaaerospace @ascendspace - Discussed my work with several major media outlets and production studios (stay tuned for more ;)) - Maintained full time clinical status & saved a life or two

"It's only impossible...until you do it." Thank you @wearfigs for highlighting space medicine in your new Space Navy and Mauve campaign, and having me be a part of it! Let's keep pushing the limits, let's go to the edge...and let's do it in styyyyle! 🚀👩🏽‍🚀🏥👩🏽‍⚕️ #space #medicine #spacemedicine #astronaut #astronautics #humanspaceflight #commercialspaceflight #science #research #explore #exploration #discover #discovery #pushthelimits #beextreme #daretoexplore

I was giving a keynote speech recently when I was asked to comment on my cultural identity in the context of my medical and astronautics career. My answer? It's okay to have a complex relationship with your culture. It's okay to question and call out the harmful parts, like what your role as a woman should be, that your menstrual cycle makes you 'unclean,' and that beauty should be tied to the fairness of your skin, while choosing to amplify the best parts of your culture that will empower you to become who you want to be - like strong family ties, an unparalleled work ethic, and incredible resilience. These are the choices that we have the luxury of making ourselves as we become older. We get to pick and choose, to become the best possible versions of ourselves. ❤️👩🏽‍🚀👩🏽‍⚕️ #astronaut #womeninstem #doctor #desi #canadianastronaut #indianastronaut

"Aloha": it means hello and goodbye, and this seems a fitting word to end my 2024 world tour. Seven countries, 40 days away, countless hotel rooms and even more flights. Innumerable hellos, goodbyes, conversations, ideas, connections, and flightpaths leading into the new year...this is goodbye for now, but also just the beginning, and before you know it, it will be hello again. Till the next time... 🌏😎🚀👩🏽‍🚀✨️🌊 #travel #worldtour #theerastourshawnasversion #space #science #astronaut #astronautics #medicine #spacemedicine #spaceflight #humanspaceflight #commercialspaceflight #research #discover #discovery #explore #exploration #pushthelimits #daretoexplore #beextreme #womeninstem #canada #canadianastronaut #india #indianastronaut

Has it already been a month since we announced our IIAS-02 Call for Science?! That must mean...our community Q&A is coming on December 18 (already!!). Remember - this is YOUR chance to ask any questions you may have about the solicitation before you submit. You can still register! Just click on the link in my bio or in my story. For the many, many, many of you who have already registered- @kelliegerardi, @spacenorah and I will see you there. 👩🏻‍🚀👩🏽‍🚀👩🏻‍🚀🚀🌠 @iias_nlc #space #science #astronaut #astronautics #medicine #spacemedicine #spaceflight #humanspaceflight #commercialspaceflight #research #discover #discovery #explore #exploration #pushthelimits #daretoexplore #beextreme #womeninstem #canada #canadianastronaut #india #indianastronaut #teamwork

Diving in Maui. Ironically, the more time I spend preparing for space, the more I fall in love with this spectacular blue marble of ours. On this particular dive, our crew saw turtles, fish, and even octopuses and sharks! There is so much beauty and so many forms of life in every corner of our world, and I love that I have been able to see so much of it, with good people who remind me that it doesn't need to be all work, all the time. 🌊🤿🐠🌊🏝😎 📸: Mo H #diving #scubadiving #maui #mauihawaii #hawaii #space #earth #astronaut #astronautics #explore #exploration #pushthelimits #daretoexplore #beextreme

How do you know when you've made it? Truly I don't ever think I will think I have made it, because there is always more to work towards, but the fact that I get to work on human spaceflight with incredibly smart, driven & creative people from different disciplines from all across the world - including colleagues at the @iias_nlc @nasa @spacex @vastspacestation and more- makes me feel like I've done something right. As the Chair for International and Community Engagement within the Organization for Space Medicine, Engineering and Design, it means a lot that I get to solicit and amplify international perspectives at the table when we talk about the future of humans living and working in space. And rest assured, this is just the beginning. Check out osmed.org to sign up for updates and keep abreast of our work. 😎🏝🚀👩🏽‍🚀✨️🌠🚀 #osmed2024 #aloha #hawaii #hawaiistagram #maui #mauihawaii #space #science #astronaut #astronautics #medicine #spacemedicine #spaceflight #humanspaceflight #commercialspaceflight #research #discover #discovery #explore #exploration #pushthelimits #daretoexplore #beextreme #womeninstem #canada #canadianastronaut #india #indianastronaut #teamwork

Goodbye China, aloha Maui! The last leg of my 2024 world tour ends takes me to the first Organization for Space Medicine, Engineering & Design Conference, where I will work with counterparts from commercial space, space agencies & industry worldwide from a collaborative, multilateral approach to define our vision for the best possible future of humans thriving in space. Plus we get to do it in Hawaii, which is a pretty good deal if you ask me. 😎🏝🚀🌠👩🏽‍🚀 #osmed2024 #space #science #astronaut #astronautics #medicine #spacemedicine #spaceflight #humanspaceflight #commercialspaceflight #research #discover #discovery #explore #exploration #pushthelimits #daretoexplore #beextreme #womeninstem #canada #canadianastronaut #india #indianastronaut

I had an incredible time keynoting at the International Lunar Observatory Association Galaxy Forum in Hainan, China, discussing both the importance of the First Woman on the Moon, the importance of priortizing women's health studies in lunar exploration, and how seeing the first woman place her footprints on the Moon will galvanize an entire new generation of space explorers for era to come. Imagine! A future in which children, students, and young professionals take for granted that women and men live, work and explore on the Moon. This is the future that humanity is working towards. 👩🏽‍🚀🌠🚀 #space #science #astronaut #astronautics #medicine #spacemedicine #spaceflight #humanspaceflight #commercialspaceflight #research #discover #discovery #explore #exploration #pushthelimits #daretoexplore #beextreme #womeninstem #canada #canadianastronaut #india #indianastronaut

Excited to be in Wenchen, China for the International Lunar Observatory Association Galaxy Forum to hear about plans for international lunar exploration, from Artemis to the International Lunar Research Station- and to give my own perspectives on lunar exploration and the first women on the Moon! 🚀👩🏽‍🚀🌠 #space #science #astronaut #astronautics #medicine #spacemedicine #spaceflight #humanspaceflight #commercialspaceflight #research #discover #discovery #explore #exploration #pushthelimits #daretoexplore #beextreme #womeninstem #canada #canadianastronaut #india #indianastronaut

Last post from India (for now!). Thank you for the wonder, the excitement, and (of course) all the food! I'll be back in 2025...next stop, the International Lunar Observatory Association Galaxy Forum in Hainan, China! 🇮🇳❤️🚀 #mumbai #india #travel #theerastourshawnasversion