Indian-American Astronaut on Moon Mission Promoted to US Air Force Brigadier General

Raja Jon Vurputoor Chari, the Indian-American astronaut included in the moon mission troupe of NASA was nominated by US president Joe Biden for promotion to the post of Air Force Brigadier General. The US Defence Department announced it on Thursday.

Chari’s nomination for this coveted post of the Air Force has to be confirmed by the Senate. All such senior military and civilian appointments have to be approved by the American Senate.

In American defence forces, the Air Force and the Army use the same ranks. The brigadiers are one-star generals in both.

Chari is part of NASA’s Artemis moon mission. He is among the astronauts preparing for this future US mission to the moon and back.

He has past experience in space travel. In 2021, he was the commander of a NASA mission to the International Space Station. He stayed on the International Space Station for 177 days and also took up a spacewalk.

Chari holds a master’s degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in aeronautics and astronautics. Before joining NASA he was an Air Force test pilot.