Shawna Pandya

Shawna Pandya is a Canadian medical doctor and space communicator. She is best known for her research with the International Institute of Astronautical Sciences and her planned 2026 suborbital flight to space with Virgin Galactic.

She is an aquanaut having worked on the NEP2NE project in 2019 and May 2023, spending a total of 11 days, 10 nights underwater. She has flown 12 parabolic flight campaigns, culminating over 180 parabolas of experience in micro- and reduced gravity. Pandya also pursues business opportunities related to space medicine.

Spaceflight

Pandya is expected to fly on Virgin Galactic's Delta-class spacecraft with fellow researchers Kellie Gerardi from the United States and Norah Patten from Ireland in 2026.

Awards and honors

2021 Women's Executive Network's Top 100 Most Powerful Women in Canada
Karman Fellow 2025
Explorers Club "50 Explorers Changing the World"

Select publications

Shirah, Bader; Mason, Christopher E.; Pandya, Shawna; Gonzalez, Yvette; Persad, Aaron H.; Ahmed, Mohammed M.; Ashemimry, Mishaal N.; Sen, Jon (1 January 2025). "Evaluation of astronaut experience, future directions, and recommendations for neuroscience research methods in human spaceflight". Neuroscience Research in Short-Duration Human Spaceflight. Academic Press. pp. 145–158. doi:10.1016/B978-0-443-33918-9.00001-8.

References

↑ Narayan, Priyanjali (2025-03-05). "How a Canadian astronaut will take Indian work ethics to space". India Today. Retrieved 2026-01-27.
↑ "NovaRise - Issue 02". flip.matrixgroupinc.net. Retrieved 2026-05-18.
↑ trucknews.com (2025-12-17). "Canadian astronaut Pandya to keynote 2026 Women with Drive summit". Truck News. Retrieved 2026-01-10.
↑ "'Adventure is in my blood': Canada's 1st woman commercial astronaut has Indian connection". The Times of India. 2025-03-03. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2026-01-10.
↑ "Virgin Galactic". www.virgingalactic.com. Retrieved 2026-01-10.
↑ "From Zero Gravity to Grit: The Making of a Modern Explorer with Dr Shawna Pandya | Western Australian Museum". visit.museum.wa.gov.au. 2025-09-22. Retrieved 2026-01-11.
↑ "Dr Shawna Pandya - Forrest Research Foundation". Retrieved 2026-01-27.
↑ "Shawna Pandya". OSMED: The Organization for Space Medicine, Engineering, and Design. Retrieved 2026-01-27.
↑ Evans Ogden, Lesley (2023-08-22). "Leveraging my training in space medicine for technological innovation". Nature. doi:10.1038/d41586-023-02672-9.
↑ Harwood, Katie (2024-05-15). "From Dreaming of Space to Practising in Extreme Environments". World Extreme Medicine. Retrieved 2026-01-27.
↑ Mathyk, Begum; Pandya, Shawna; Wright Beatty, Heather; Anderson, Matthew L.; Kohut, Adrian (2025-11-01). "Handheld Point-of-Care Ultrasonography for Gynecology: Insights Into Space Travel Through Parabolic Flight". Obstetrics and Gynecology. 146 (5): 751–757. doi:10.1097/AOG.0000000000006009. ISSN 1873-233X. PMC 12520040. PMID 40706033.
↑ "Dr. Shawna Pandya Set for Virgin Galactic Space Flight". IndiaWest News. 2024-06-20. Retrieved 2026-01-27.
↑ Washburn, Maya. "Astronaut Kellie Gerardi's next mission: How will it compare to her first space flight?". The Palm Beach Post. Archived from the original on March 13, 2025. Retrieved 2026-01-27.
↑ "Featuring WXN Ambassadors Shawna Pandya and Kashmera Self". Womens Executive Network.
↑ "Shawna Pandya Research Astronaut International Institute for Astronautical Sciences (IIAS) | The Karman Project". www.karmanproject.org. Retrieved 2026-01-10.
↑ "Shawna Pandya MD". The Explorers Club 50. Retrieved 2026-01-10.

External links

Official website

[1] Narayan, Priyanjali (2025-03-05). "How a Canadian astronaut will take Indian work ethics to space". India Today. Retrieved 2026-01-27.

[2] "NovaRise - Issue 02". flip.matrixgroupinc.net. Retrieved 2026-05-18.

[3] trucknews.com (2025-12-17). "Canadian astronaut Pandya to keynote 2026 Women with Drive summit". Truck News. Retrieved 2026-01-10.

[4] "'Adventure is in my blood': Canada's 1st woman commercial astronaut has Indian connection". The Times of India. 2025-03-03. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2026-01-10.

[5] "Virgin Galactic". www.virgingalactic.com. Retrieved 2026-01-10.

[6] "From Zero Gravity to Grit: The Making of a Modern Explorer with Dr Shawna Pandya | Western Australian Museum". visit.museum.wa.gov.au. 2025-09-22. Retrieved 2026-01-11.

[7] "Dr Shawna Pandya - Forrest Research Foundation". Retrieved 2026-01-27.

[8] "Shawna Pandya". OSMED: The Organization for Space Medicine, Engineering, and Design. Retrieved 2026-01-27.

[9] Evans Ogden, Lesley (2023-08-22). "Leveraging my training in space medicine for technological innovation". Nature. doi:10.1038/d41586-023-02672-9.

[10] Harwood, Katie (2024-05-15). "From Dreaming of Space to Practising in Extreme Environments". World Extreme Medicine. Retrieved 2026-01-27.

[11] Mathyk, Begum; Pandya, Shawna; Wright Beatty, Heather; Anderson, Matthew L.; Kohut, Adrian (2025-11-01). "Handheld Point-of-Care Ultrasonography for Gynecology: Insights Into Space Travel Through Parabolic Flight". Obstetrics and Gynecology. 146 (5): 751–757. doi:10.1097/AOG.0000000000006009. ISSN 1873-233X. PMC 12520040. PMID 40706033.

[12] "Dr. Shawna Pandya Set for Virgin Galactic Space Flight". IndiaWest News. 2024-06-20. Retrieved 2026-01-27.

[13] Washburn, Maya. "Astronaut Kellie Gerardi's next mission: How will it compare to her first space flight?". The Palm Beach Post. Archived from the original on March 13, 2025. Retrieved 2026-01-27.

[14] "Featuring WXN Ambassadors Shawna Pandya and Kashmera Self". Womens Executive Network.

[15] "Shawna Pandya Research Astronaut International Institute for Astronautical Sciences (IIAS) | The Karman Project". www.karmanproject.org. Retrieved 2026-01-10.

[16] "Shawna Pandya MD". The Explorers Club 50. Retrieved 2026-01-10.