From India, Grandpa's Thumbs-Up For Sirisha Bandla Ahead Of Spaceflight

Sirisha Bandla, who was brought up in Houston, will become the second India-born woman to fly into space after Kalpana Chawla.

Sirisha Bandla is brave, strong in decision making, and has been fascinated by the sky from the beginning, said Dr Ragaiah, the grandfather of the aeronautical engineer who will fly into space on July 11, adding that he wished her a successful return to land. I am so incredibly honored to be a part of the amazing crew of #Unity22, and to be a part of a company whose mission is to make space available to all. https://t.co/sPrYy1styc Indian-origin women continue to break the proverbial glass ceiling and prove their mettle. On July 11th, @SirishaBandla with Telugu roots is set to fly to space aboard VSS Unity with @RichardBranson and the team marking the dawn of the new space age, making all Indians proud! pic.twitter.com/oecuztDRBe I've always been a dreamer. My mum taught me to never give up and to reach for the stars. On July 11, it's time to turn that dream into a reality aboard the next @VirginGalactic spaceflight https://t.co/x0ksfnuEQ3#Unity22pic.twitter.com/GWskcMSXyA "I'm very happy. From the beginning, she was very fascinated with the sky. Now she's going to space with five other members. She is brave and strong in decision-making," said Dr Ragaiah. "I, along with my friends and relatives, wish her a successful and happy return to the land after completion of her journey," Dr Ragaiah told ANI on Sunday in Andhra Pradesh's Guntur district. Sirisha Bandla will be one of the six space travellers aboard VSS Unity of Virgin Galactic. It is scheduled to take off to space on July 11 from New Mexico alongside the founder of Virgin Galactic Richard Branson.