What began as extra hours spent in a humble public school laboratory in Dowleswaram in Andhra Pradesh has transformed into a giant leap toward space exploration for 14-year-old Kandula Jessie.

The Class 10 student from Zilla Parishad Girls High School (ZPGHS) prevailed against intense global competition, outperforming nearly 12,000 applicants across 108 countries, to earn a spot in Mission ShakthiSAT. The initiative stands as the world's pioneer all-female, international lunar CubeSat project. Out of the 20 delegates chosen from India, Jessie holds the unique distinction of being the only representative from Andhra Pradesh.
 

Nurturing a passion in the Atal Tinkering Lab

Jessie's potential came into focus when her physical science instructor and Atal Tinkering Lab mentor Manimala observed her natural inclination toward scientific inquiry and registered her for the space education initiative last year.

What followed was an intensive academic commitment far exceeding typical secondary school coursework. Over months of preparation, Jessie completed approximately 550 digital sessions structured into 21 rigorous modules, delving into advanced concepts like orbital mechanics, satellite engineering, thermodynamics and space propulsion.

"I found many concepts difficult initially because they were far more advanced than what we study in school, but I continued attending the classes every day," Jessie recalled.

Overcoming linguistic hurdles to reach international panels

The competitive screening phase evaluated both domain knowledge and public communication. Candidates completed coursework assessments, sat for a hour-long evaluation conducted by international space experts, and created a concise video essay discussing Mission ShakthiSAT and the role of STEM learning.

Because the final interactions were held in English with global scientists, the government school student invested weeks in refining her spoken English using educational videos and guidance from her school mentors.

"I was nervous speaking to international scientists. I never expected a government school student like me would get selected," she admitted.

Sacrifices, perseverance and eyes on ISRO

Jessie’s triumph comes against a backdrop of modest family circumstances. When financial pressures mounted, her parents had to move her from a private facility into the state public schooling system. Her father earns a living through carpentry work.

Her mother Aruna expressed immense pride upon seeing her daughter confidently hold discussions with international space experts, calling it one of the most memorable milestones of their lives.

Looking ahead, Jessie is set to head to New Delhi on August 23 for intensive practical workshops. Alongside fellow delegates and space engineers, she will contribute to payload integration, satellite design and launch preparations for the student-developed lunar CubeSat, which is targeted to blast off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota on October 11.

Her trajectory follows another recent Indian success story, Mahima Rajput, a Class 10 student who was also selected for the ShakthiSAT initiative last month.

With this milestone checked off, Jessie has already set her eyes on her ultimate ambition.

"After getting selected for this programme, I feel that with hard work I can achieve my dream of joining ISRO. I also want to support my parents and make my teachers and school proud," Jessie shared.

Recognition from state leaders

Jessie’s milestone has drawn enthusiastic praise from educational advocates and government representatives. Celebrating the potential of public sector education, Andhra Pradesh IT advisor Sana Sathish Babu posted on X.

"Stories like hers reflect the vision championed by Hon'ble CM @ncbn Garu and Hon'ble Education Minister @naralokesh Garu, giving government school students world-class exposure and the confidence to dream big."

For millions of young pupils pursuing their education in government classrooms, Kandula Jessie’s story offers clear proof that determination, proper guidance and passion can overcome socio-economic hurdles and bring even the Moon within reach.