BENGALURU: Virgin Galactic Holdings, Thursday announced a new contract with the International Institute for Astronautical Sciences (IIAS) to fly three research astronauts aboard the company’s next generation Delta Class spaceship.
This will be the second research mission IIAS has conducted with Virgin Galactic, building on their previous Galactic 05 flight in November 2023.
The upcoming mission aims to further IIAS’ research on fluid behaviour in microgravity, with potential applications for future medical technologies and life support systems. Leading the IIAS crew will be astronaut Kellie Gerardi, who previously validated a fluid behaviour theory during Galactic 05.
“The quality microgravity provided by Virgin Galactic is truly game-changing. We’ll expand on our fluid cell experiment, working to control liquid behaviour. A ‘fly, fix, fly’ approach opens exciting possibilities for making discoveries that benefit future space explorers,” Gerardi said.
Gerardi is a bioastronautics researcher and payload specialist who directs Human Spaceflight Operations at the International Institute for Astronautical Sciences (IIAS). She has conducted experiments in space and participated in numerous reduced gravity research flights on Earth. Gerardi is also a science communicator, authoring children’s books and engaging in various space-related projects. Her professional affiliations include the Truman National Security Project, Palantir Technologies, and The Explorers Club. Gerardi resides in Florida with her family.
Joining Gerardi will be Dr Shawna Pandya, a physician and space medicine researcher, and Norah Patten, an aeronautical engineer. The mission is slated for Virgin Galactic’s first year of Delta commercial service, anticipated to begin in 2026.
Dr. Pandya is a physician, aquanaut, and bioastronautics researcher with diverse experience in space-related fields. She works with the International Institute for Astronautical Sciences (IIAS) and has participated in numerous parabolic flight campaigns and spacesuit testing.
She has completed aquanaut missions, contributed to various space research projects, and published on space medicine topics. She has received recognition for her work, including being named one of the “50 Explorers Changing the World” by the Explorers’ Club. The upcoming IIAS-02 Mission will mark her first spaceflight.
Norah Patten, an aeronautical engineer and bioastronautics researcher at the International Institute for Astronautical Sciences (IIAS), has extensive experience in microgravity research, commercial spacesuit testing, and emergency egress operations. She led an experiment on water droplet aerosolization in microgravity and tested a 3D bioprinter for skin grafts in space. Norah is an award-winning author and STEM advocate, known for her children’s book ‘Shooting for the Stars,’ which won the An Post Children’s Book of the Year Senior in 2019. She received the IIAS Educator Award in 2018, and has been recognized as an Emerging Space Leader.