Minha Faiz Rashad (Minnu), a prominent figure in the media industry who has been doing extensive work for women's empowerment, has been appointed as the Maldives Ambassador for the major international space initiative "Mission ShakthiSAT".

Mission ShakthiSAT stated that the appointment of Minnu, who also serves as the Chairperson of One Media Group and the President of Women in Management Maldives, opens a very important door for Maldivian girls to advance in the fields of science and technology. In her capacity as the Ambassador for Mission ShakthiSAT, Minnu will work to familiarize Maldivian girls with space exploration and facilitate international opportunities to develop their innovative thinking.

Mission ShakthiSAT is an ambitious and historic project initiated by Space Kidz India, an Indian aerospace startup company. Under the leadership of Dr. Srimathy Kesan, the main objective of this project is to launch a satellite, built entirely by the efforts of girls, into lunar orbit in September 2026, with the participation of 12,000 girls from 108 countries across the globe. This is one of the largest international initiatives conducted to increase the participation of girls in the fields of space exploration and science.

Space Kidz India has previously involved students in building and launching successful satellites such as "AzaadiSAT". Through this initiative, participating girls from around the world will have the opportunity to work on a single platform and share their experiences.

Rather than just sending a satellite into space, this is a major initiative conducted to empower girls by teaching them STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) modules and satellite systems engineering through education, mentorship, and international networking. This 120-hour training program is divided into two main phases.

The first phase includes a special section consisting of 21 modules. These cover important topics such as physics, mathematics, coding, satellite technology, propulsion systems, PCB design, and orbital mechanics. Accredited through IN-SPACe of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), more than 7,800 girls from around the world have already registered for this program. In this stage, the educational information required by students is provided through modern digital platforms.

In the second phase, one girl from each of the 108 participating countries will be selected and taken to India. The students selected for this practical training program, which will be held in India from August 23 to September 2 this year, will participate alongside their respective country's ambassador and actively engage in satellite design and testing tasks. Following these activities, the aim is to launch the satellite into low Earth orbit and later to the moon.

Speaking about the opportunities available to students through Mission ShakthiSAT, the Mission Director of Space Kidz India, Dr. Srimathy Kesan, stated that this is not just about sending a satellite into space. She said that this is a golden opportunity to prove the intellect and capabilities of girls to the entire world.

"We are working to create an environment where we can transcend national borders and collaborate to produce future scientists, engineers, and leaders," said Dr. Srimathy.

Furthermore, she noted that due to such innovations, student-led research will bring significant advancements to the space sector and encourage young minds to dream big. As a result of this initiative, future scientists and leaders will be produced, and the Maldivian education sector will also experience substantial progress. To begin the practical work of this project, the selection process for participating students from the Maldives will commence in the coming days.