NASA Reacts After Brazilian Social Media "Astronaut" Claims She's Headed To Space

NDTV

16 hours ago

A Brazilian social media star's claim of becoming a "career astronaut " after alleged NASA training has prompted a sharp correction from the US space agency itself. According to the New York Post, Laysa Peixoto announced earlier this month that she had been picked for a career in space exploration. She claimed that she earned a spot in the coveted "Astronaut Class of 2025" with plans to fly to the Moon and Mars. She also stated that she would be joining the private space company's maiden voyage in 2029, commanded by NASA veteran astronaut Bill McArthur.
"I was selected to become a career astronaut, performing on manned spaceflights for private space stations, and future manned missions to the Moon and Mars. I'm officially an astronaut of the Class of 2025 and will be part of the inaugural Titans Space flight," Ms Peixoto claimed on Instagram.
"It is a great joy to represent Brazil as an astronaut in such a decisive era of space exploration, that will change history of mankind forever. It's an honor to carry the flag of Brazil with me as the first Brazilian woman to cross that border," she added.
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A post shared by LAYSA PEIXOTO (@astrolaysa)
However, days after her social media post, complete with pictures of her in a NASA-branded jumpsuit and helmet, NASA issued a firm statement discrediting her claims. NASA clarified that Ms Peixoto is neither an astronaut candidate nor is she affiliated with the space agency.
"While we generally do not comment on personnel, this individual is not a NASA employee, principal investigator, or astronaut candidate," NASA said, per Daily Mail.
The space agency also said the Brazilian woman had taken part in a workshop, L'Space Academy, with NASA that wasn't an internship or a job. "It would be inappropriate to claim NASA affiliation as part of this opportunity," the agency stated.
Separately, Titan Space, a private company yet to receive Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval for human spaceflight, acknowledged Ms Peixoto's association but confirmed she is not on the official list of astronauts for its 2029 inaugural mission.
Amidst this, Ms Peixoto returned to Instagram on Thursday to address NASA and Titans Space statements. She said she never claimed to have been selected by the American space agency, and that she was only wearing a NASA space jacket in the photo. "Maybe many of you didn't get a chance to read what I said when I announced 'I'm going to space,' just the title. The text is available here, and in it, I mention WHO selected me, and I mention that it's a PRIVATE space program," she said.
At no time is there a mention of NASA or that she would be an astronaut for the agency. The post was never edited," Ms Peixoto's agent said.
However, the New York Post noted that an "edited" label is attached to Ms Peixoto's post, but there is no indication of what had been changed.
Ms Peixot's academic background has also been questioned after her now-deleted LinkedIn page claimed she worked at NASA when she was 19, was a fellow at the German nonprofit Max Planck Society, enrolled in an engineering course at MIT and had a master's degree from Columbia University.
But Columbia University has reportedly said that there is no record of her. These revelations have further undermined her credibility and fuelled scepticism surrounding her space aspirations.