Neharika Gambhir has become the first analog astronaut of Fijian-American origin, marking a historic moment for Fiji. She posted on Facebook,
“To my 5 year old self: “you made it”. Ladies and gentlemen, I’m officially the first Fijian American Analog Astronaut.”
Gambhir, a pilot and cyber engineer, joined the all-female crew of the Analog Expedition 92, proudly wearing the Fijian flag on her uniform.
Fiji’s Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka and Deputy Prime Minister Prof. Biman Prasad both congratulated Gambhir on social media.
DPM Prasad tweeted, “I join Prime Minister @slrabuka in congratulating Neharika Gambhir on becoming the first Fijian-American analogue astronaut! Your achievement is a true inspiration and a powerful reminder of the limitless possibilities when we break barriers and aim for the stars.”
In an Instagram post reflecting on her journey, Neharika shared that her journey has been “long, painful, rewarding, and, in many ways, incredible.”
“My journey has been long, painful, rewarding, and, in many ways, incredible. From being a 58-pound, extremely shy, and very ill girl, left by my biological parents to fend for myself in an unfamiliar country, to joining the prestigious IIAS for astronaut-scientist training, it’s been a journey of growth, healing, and profound learning.”
Analog astronauts simulate real-world space missions, often testing equipment, medical responses, and human endurance in controlled environments to prepare for potential future space journeys.
Gambhir, who attended Saint Joseph’s Secondary School in Suva, is particularly focused on space medicine and intravehicular spacesuit research.
Beyond her analogue astronaut role, Gambhir is currently pursuing a computer science degree and working towards a PhD in Computational Life Sciences, with a specialisation in computational neurology and the study of neural networks in diagnosing vascular malformations. She is also undergoing astronaut scientist candidacy training at the International Institute for Astronautical Sciences (IIAS).
An accomplished information security engineer with over five years of experience, Gambhir holds certifications in Security Plus and Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) and is renowned for her proactive approach to threat detection and incident response. Her work includes dealing with the UltraDDoS product, a high-stakes environment where she ensures digital security.
As a crew member, Gambhir’s roles are critical: she serves as an astrobiologist, responsible for maintaining organisms and bioreactor systems onboard, and as the data officer, overseeing the accuracy and reliability of all mission data. In her spare time, she contributes to World War II aircraft restoration and performs public outreach and airshows with restored warbirds.
Looking ahead, Gambhir aspires to become a commercial astronaut, combining her passions for space, medicine, and public education to inspire the next generation of explorers.
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