AP Govt School Student Kandula Jessie Selected for Mission ShakthiSAT
A 14-year-old student from a government school in Andhra Pradesh has been selected as one of 20 Indian participants in Mission ShakthiSAT, the world’s first global all-girls lunar CubeSat mission, becoming the only student from the state to make the final list.
Kandula Jessie, who is in Class X at Zilla Parishad Girls High School in Dowleswaram, was chosen after completing a multi-stage selection process for a programme that attracted nearly 12,000 registrations from girls in 108 countries.
From 23 August, Jessie will begin training in New Delhi alongside scientists, contributing to satellite design, payload development and mission operations. The student-built lunar CubeSat is scheduled to be launched from Sriharikota on 11 October.
Her path to the programme began in the school’s Atal Tinkering Lab, where her physical science teacher, Manimala, recognised her interest in science and encouraged her to enrol. Jessie, in turn, persuaded eight classmates to register.
The group initially discovered that the online coursework had already begun. After Manimala contacted the organisers, the students were given another opportunity to join the programme, allowing Jessie to continue her training.
Balancing preparations for her Class X examinations with the demands of the course, Jessie attended online sessions every day after school and completed about half of the curriculum. The programme consists of around 550 sessions across 21 modules, covering subjects including satellite systems, propulsion, thermodynamics and space technology.
“I found many concepts difficult at first because they were much more advanced than what we study in school,” Jessie said. “But I kept attending the classes every day.”
Candidates were assessed through online learning modules, an hour-long interview with scientists and programme coordinators, and a one-minute video explaining Mission ShakthiSAT and the importance of STEM education. The interview was conducted in English with international experts, prompting Jessie to improve her spoken English with support from her teachers and educational videos.
“I was nervous speaking to international scientists,” she said. “I never expected that a government school student like me would be selected.”
Manimala said Jessie had consistently shown curiosity and commitment in the school’s Atal Tinkering Lab, taking part in science activities and competitions whenever opportunities arose.
Jessie’s mother, Aruna, said the family had transferred her daughter from a private school to a government school because they could no longer afford the fees. Her husband works as a carpenter.
“We have faced many struggles,” Aruna said. “Seeing my daughter confidently speak with international scientists was one of the proudest moments of our lives.”
The next stage of the programme begins with hands-on training in New Delhi during National Space Day celebrations. Jessie said the experience had strengthened her ambition to pursue a career with the Indian Space Research Organisation.
“I want to join ISRO,” she said. “I also want to support my parents and make my teachers and school proud.”