NASA's Raja Cahri becomes third Indo-American post Chawla, Williams to venture into space

Kicking 2020 off to a flying start, Indian origin American Raja Jon Vurputoor Chari has continued India's rich vein of success in its space-faring pursuits by becoming their Indian origin American to be venturing into space. Chari is on Nasa's list of candidates who may get a chance to go to the Moon or Mars in one of NASA's upcoming manned programs. 

He was the only Indian among NASA's thirteen other astronauts who received silver pins from NASA on January 10 upon their graduation, at the Johnson Space Centre in Houston after two years of intense training.

Taking to Twitter, Chari expressed his excitement and happiness for passing out of NASA as an astronaut. 

We did...we do. #artemis https://t.co/0S0y25dz8Q

— Raja Chari (@Astro_Raja)

In 2017, NASA had shortlisted its 11 candidates after receiving around 18,000 applications for its Artemis program. Under its Artemis program, NASA aims to land the first woman and next man on the Moon by 2024 and then send astronauts further to Mars by mid-2030s.

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Raja Chari is a US Air Force colonel by profession

Born on June 24, 1977, Raja Chari is a US Air Force colonel from Cedar Falls, Iowa, with bachelor's degrees in astronautical engineering and engineering science as well as a master's degree in aeronautics and astronautics. Chari also graduated from the US Naval Test Pilot School.

Post completing his Masters's education, Chari underwent an Undergraduate Pilot Training at Vance AFB. He was also deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Chari attended the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School and was a test pilot at Eglin AFB. Before his NASA training, Chari last served in the US Armed forces as a commander of the 461st Flight Test Squadron.

His other assignments include a test pilot at Eglin AFB, service as a project pilot for the F-15C Eagle APG-68v3 and F-15E Strike Eagle APG-82 programs for incorporating Active Electronically Scanned Array radars. He also attended the U .S. Army Command and General Staff College and served as a CENTCOM time-sensitive targeting officer.

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(Image Credits: Twitter: @NASA_Astronauts)