In the small village of Labartal in central Kashmir’s Budgam district, few would have thought that a young man from their area would one day travel into space. In a proud moment for the science community in Kashmir, 21-year-old Sadiq Ali Mir has been chosen as an Astronaut Candidate (ASCAN) for Engineering and Development with Titans Space Industries Inc., a private aerospace company based in the United States.
If everything goes as planned, Mir will be part of the company’s first space mission in 2029. The mission will be led by William McArthur, a former NASA astronaut, and Marcos Pontes, Brazil’s first astronaut and the current Deputy Chief Astronaut at Titans Space.
Mir's journey to this achievement began from a simple background. He studied at Imamia Public School, then at Al-Asma Educational Institute in Budgam, and completed his higher secondary education at the Government Higher Secondary School in Sholipora. In 2021, he enrolled at RV College of Engineering (RVCE) in Bengaluru and graduated in August this year with a degree in Aerospace Engineering.
His dream began in the seventh grade. “When I was in Class 7, I saw a bright object moving across the sky and thought it was a comet,” he said. Later, he learned it was the International Space Station. That moment inspired him to become an aerospace engineer and astronaut.
The selection process at Titans Space was extremely tough. Mir faced detailed tests and interviews with senior leaders, including CEO Neal Lachman and Chief Astronaut William McArthur. His strong academic performance and leadership in student aerospace projects helped him secure his place.
The 2029 mission will include orbital operations, space-based research, and long-term living in space. It is part of Titan Space’s plan for sustainable space exploration and technology development. Alongside preparing for the mission, Mir has also been accepted into a Master’s programme in Space Systems at Kepler Space University in Florida to further his knowledge.
At RVCE, Mir co-founded Team AeroAstro, a student group focusing on electric aircraft and space technology. He served as Team Leader and Project Manager before becoming an advisor.
He worked with classmates on research projects and co-authored two papers on Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). He presented those two papers at the Annual Aeronautical Society of India (AESI) Conference at Birla Institute of Technology at Mesra, Ranchi, covering supersonic aerodynamic analysis and the design of a new SR-72 variant.
Mir’s practical experience includes being the Lead Systems Engineer for a lunar rover project at Milo Mission Academy, an initiative supported by NASA.
He is grateful to everyone who supported him, including mentors at RVCE like Dr KN Subramanya and Dr Ravindra S Kulakarni, as well as leaders at Titans Space, such as Lachman and Ratliff.
“I owe special thanks to my family and friends, especially Suhana Arsh for believing in me throughout this journey,” he said.
For a young man from a place better known for orchards than spacecraft, becoming an astronaut candidate is a great achievement. As an ASCAN and future graduate student, I am honoured to represent RVCE and India on the global stage,” he said.
"It’s a responsibility I carry with immense pride," he added.
From watching the night sky as a boy to preparing for a space mission in 2029, Sadiq Ali Mir’s story shows that dreams can reach the stars.