Dr. Akshata Krishnamurthy etched her name in history as the first Indian to operate a Mars rover. This momentous achievement marked a significant milestone not only for Dr. Krishnamurthy herself but also for India's growing presence in the global space exploration landscape.
Through her Instagram account ‘astro.akshata’ where Dr. Krishnamurthy offers a window into her professional life and shares her passion for space with the world, she said in a post, “I came to the United States a little over 13 years ago with almost nothing but a dream to work at NASA and lead breakthrough science and robotic operations on Earth and Mars.”
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A post shared by Dr. Akshata Krishnamurthy | Rocket Scientist (@astro.akshata)
Armed with an ambitious goal to work at NASA, Dr. Krishnamurthy embarked on her academic journey at the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where she earned a Ph.D. degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics.
Dr. Krishnamurthy is among the few Indians who joined NASA for a full-time opportunity. Her LinkedIn profile says that Dr. Krishnamurthy is a Principal Investigator and Mission Science Phase Lead at NASA. She has been working at NASA for over five years now. Prior to that, she worked at MIT as an Instrument Systems Engineer.
“From getting my PhD at MIT to knocking 100s of doors to get hired full-time at NASA, nothing came easy. Today, I work on multiple cool space missions including the Perseverance rover collecting samples to bring back to Earth,” she added.
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Her exceptional skills and dedication caught the attention of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), leading her to join the team operating the Perseverance rover on Mars. This rover, part of the Mars 2020 mission, landed on the Red Planet in February 2021 with the objective of searching for signs of ancient microbial life and collecting samples for future analysis.
Dr. Krishnamurthy's role as a rover operator is critical to the mission's success. She is responsible for planning and executing the rover's movements, carefully navigating the Martian terrain and ensuring that it reaches its designated targets. This involves tasks such as commanding the rover to drive, collect rock samples, and operate scientific instruments.
Also read: NASA Lucy Mission: First Spacecraft to study Jupiter’s Trojan asteroids
Beyond her scientific contributions, Dr. Krishnamurthy inspires countless individuals, especially young women and girls with her e-book tilted “Your Ultimate Guide to a Space Career”, providing a valuable roadmap for individuals navigating this exciting field.
As per a post on the SSPI Society of Satellite Professionals International website, her accomplishments have garnered her numerous accolades, including the prestigious NASA Honour Group Achievement Award, the Emerging Space Leader Award, and the 2017 Luigi G. Napolitano Award from the International Astronautical Federation.
Also read: What is NASA’s Dragonfly Mission? Why is NASA Sending Dragonfly To Saturn’s Moon Titan?
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