IIAS Diaries: "The Grit Factor" w/ Noel Padinjattekara

In this episode of IIAS Diaries, I sit down with Noel Padinjattekara — a driven and down-to-earth aspiring astronaut based in Boston, with roots in Kerala, India. By day, he’s worked in biotech and medical research with some of the top institutions in Boston. But his sights have always been set much higher — quite literally.

Noel shares how childhood flights to India and sketching rockets in school sparked a lifelong dream: becoming a NASA astronaut. Today, he's building toward that goal — training as a pilot, diving into hypoxia and G-force simulations, and preparing to join the U.S. Air Force as an officer.

We talk about:

• What it’s really like to train your mind and body for space
• His “LinkedIn on the Go” approach to networking while Uber driving
• How biotech and aerospace medicine go hand-in-hand in human spaceflight
• The importance of global collaboration in making space accessible to everyone

Noel’s story is about more than just space — it’s about grit, purpose, and staying grounded while chasing something bigger than yourself. Whether you're into space, science, or just good stories — this one’s worth a listen.

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