Early Life and Background
Raja Jon Vurputoor Chari is an American astronaut, engineer and former United States Air Force test pilot of Indian origin.
He was born in 1977 in Wisconsin, United States.
His father, Sreenivas V. Chari, emigrated to the United States from India.
Chari studied engineering at the United States Air Force Academy and later earned a master’s degree in aeronautics and astronautics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
He became a highly experienced fighter and test pilot before joining NASA.
NASA Career
Raja Chari was selected as a NASA astronaut in 2017.
Before his first spaceflight, he worked with NASA’s Commercial Crew Program and was also selected as a member of the Artemis Team, supporting preparations for future human missions to the Moon.
As of 2026, NASA continues to list him among its active astronauts.
SpaceX Crew-3 Mission
Chari served as commander of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-3 mission to the International Space Station.
The mission launched on 10 November 2021 aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon Endurance.
The crew included:
- Raja Chari;
- Thomas Marshburn;
- Kayla Barron;
- Matthias Maurer of the European Space Agency.
Chari served as a flight engineer during Expeditions 66 and 67 aboard the ISS and spent approximately 177 days in orbit.
Scientific and Operational Work
During his ISS mission, Chari participated in:
- scientific experiments;
- maintenance of space-station systems;
- robotic operations;
- Earth observation;
- human-health research;
- technology demonstrations.
He also conducted spacewalks.
In March 2022, Chari and Kayla Barron performed a spacewalk lasting nearly seven hours to install equipment needed for future ISS Roll-Out Solar Arrays.
Artemis Programme
Raja Chari is also associated with NASA’s Artemis programme, which seeks to return humans to the Moon and develop capabilities for longer-duration exploration.
He was selected for the Artemis Team, a group of astronauts involved in training and development activities supporting early Artemis missions.
His recent training has included activities connected with future lunar operations and NASA’s Human Landing System programme.
Connection with India
Raja Chari is a United States citizen and NASA astronaut, not an astronaut representing India’s space programme.
However, his Indian heritage places him among prominent astronauts of Indian origin.
He should be distinguished from:
- Rakesh Sharma, first Indian citizen in space;
- Kalpana Chawla, first woman of Indian origin in space;
- Sunita Williams, veteran NASA astronaut of Indian heritage;
- Shubhanshu Shukla, first Indian astronaut to visit the International Space Station.
Significance
Raja Chari’s career is important because it combines:
- military aviation;
- aerospace engineering;
- spacecraft command;
- long-duration ISS operations;
- spacewalking experience;
- preparation for future lunar exploration.
His appointment as commander of Crew-3 on his first spaceflight demonstrated the high level of operational responsibility entrusted to him by NASA.
Conclusion
Raja Chari is an Indian-origin NASA astronaut who commanded the SpaceX Crew-3 mission and spent 177 days aboard the International Space Station. His continuing involvement in NASA’s Artemis-related training also connects his career with the next phase of human exploration beyond low-Earth orbit.
