What does it really take to become an aspiring Martian?

For some, the journey starts with engineering degrees, astronaut training programs, and analog missions in the desert. For others, it begins much earlier — with challenges that shape resilience, perspective, and a deep curiosity about the human body in extreme environments.

This week I’m joined by Shriya Musuku, a mechanical engineer, analog astronaut, EMT, and astronaut candidate whose career sits at the intersection of engineering, medicine, and space exploration.

Shriya earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mechanical engineering from the Rochester Institute of Technology, where her work ranged from thermal microfluidics research and robotics to computational modeling and biomedical applications. Along the way she also volunteered as an EMT and firefighter, gaining firsthand experience responding to high-stress situations and learning how teams operate in extreme environments.

Those experiences now inform her work in the space industry. Shriya currently serves as Director of Operations at Titans Space Industries, and she is also an R&D Astronaut Candidate, part of a new generation of explorers working toward a future where space becomes accessible to more people around the world.

But her story begins long before engineering school.

As a child, Shriya was diagnosed with leukemia and had to relearn how to walk during her recovery — an experience that helped shape her interest in human health, resilience, and the challenges astronauts face in extreme environments  .

For Shriya, going to space isn’t just about the adventure.

It’s about perspective, resilience, and building a future where exploration benefits everyone.

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A huge thank you as well to Shriya for joining me today and sharing her time and perspective, to Nick Thorburn for the stellar theme music, to Ceci Giglio for the incredible graphics, to Jero Squartini for the amazing animations, to RDan, Leila, Inka, and Carl for adminning the Facebook group, and to my family for supporting this project—even when conversations about buried Martian mountains sneak into everyday life.