Dr. Pandya is Astronaut 002 at the International Institute for Astronautical Sciences (IIAS). She is named as the 1st named Canadian female commercial astronaut, and the 4th Indian origin female astronaut. In June 2024, she was named to the International Institute for Astronautical Sciences (IIAS) upcoming IIAS-02 suborbital research spaceflight. She is also a physician and the Director of IIAS’ Space Medicine Group, Chief of Space Medicine at the Advanced Spacelife Research Institute, and Executive Director of IIAS’ Flight Opportunities Program, which oversees standards, training, curriculum and qualification criteria for IIAS research spaceflights.
Dr. Pandya was on the first crew to test a commercial spacesuit in zero-gravity in 2015, and is the veteran of 12 parabolic flights, totalling over 180 parabolas to date. She is a two-time aquanaut with the NEPTUNE and NEP2NE missions, and was a scientific lead on the first IIAS suborbital research flight. In 2024, she was inducted as a full member of the International Astronautical Federation’s Human Spaceflight Committee, promoted to Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of Alberta, named a Karman Pioneer, and was recognized for her contributions by the Women’s Space Awards in the Medicine and Health category. She serves on the boards of Shad Canada and the International Lunar Observatory Association. Dr. Pandya also received the Explorers’ Club’s 2022 “50 Explorers Changing the World.” Her work has been profiled by Nature Careers and the Royal Canadian Mint.