Tatyana Ivanova is only 19 years old, from the city of Dobrich, and was accepted to the "Space Engineering" major, specialization "Rocket Fuels" at Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University (USA)
Tatyana Ivanova is only 19 years old, from the city of Dobrich, and was accepted to the "Space Engineering" major, specialization "Rocket Fuels" at Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University (USA). At the end of 2022, she had to raise the sum of 60 000 USD, including tuition fee, campus, study materials, insurance, transportation and food, to enroll in the university and take a small step towards the big space she dreams of . Thus, she has the opportunity to become the first woman from Bulgaria to fly into space. Industrial Association - Dobrich, of course, stood closely behind Tatyana and assisted in raising the funds for her studies in Florida. Whether our joint efforts succeeded, read in the interview.
Has the amount of 60 000 USD already been raised for Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University in the USA, where you are accepted to study and be one step closer to your dream of flight in space?
The amount for my first year at the university was collected in less than 10 days, for which I am extremely grateful to all the donors, to the people who helped me in one way or another. I've already started my semester at university and I dare say I've adapted quickly. There are a lot of subtleties and differences in the system here, but this is something I've dreamed about for years and I'm ready to give it my all. It was not by chance that I took a risk and chose to move here... Embry-Riddle is an aviation and space science university, students here compete for internships at NASA, SpaceX, Boeing, etc.
What is coming next?
Now I have some hard studying to do, as well as training with Project PoSSUM (the special program for astronaut candidates). In the summer I plan to take my next diving level in Bulgaria, as well as work on my skydiving license.
What are your biggest fears and how do you overcome them?
My biggest fear is probably the fact that there are things that are out of my hands. Sometimes, no matter how hard you work on yourself, your goals, etc., someone else has the final say. I believe in the quote: "Believe you deserve it and the Universe will serve it!". I work hard, I don't give up and I attract luck to my side. I am persistent and determined in my actions!
If you could one day take only one thing from Earth on your flight to space, what would it be?
It's impossible, but I'd take the rain, I love storms and gloomy weather. I even chose my mini-specialization here, as there is a major and a minor. It's going to be meteorology and I can't wait!
What do you believe in?
I believe anything is possible if we let it be. I believe in the power of thought, the law of attraction and destiny!
What do you love?
One of my favorite things that I rarely talk about is fishing. I have quite a strict diet and am a vegetarian, but maybe the fact that I grew up by the sea has a big influence on my love for water. I can't wait to have a car here in Florida someday because the beach is the longest in the world and it's unique!
What is success to you?
Success for me is something simple, relative and individual. It equals personal satisfaction.
On the way to space:
- For more than 4 years Tanya pursued her dream to become the first woman astronaut of Bulgaria.
- She has been through two NASA-model training camps - in Izmir, Turkey, in 2018 and in Huntsville, Alabama, USA, in 2019.
- In November 2021, she was accepted into a space program in North America. The Space Academy is under Project PoSSUM and the International Space Sciences Institute and is the first NASA-funded project to certify astronaut candidates for suborbital flight.
- In February 2022 she took the foundation course, AST 101, after which she qualified for the next 15 courses.
- The first course she completes is to fly in a special aerobatic airplane, the 300 ExtraL, on which stronger ground gravity, deceleration and zero gravity are exercised.
- She is involved in the testing of CSA (Canadian Space Agency) developed suits through special compression and decompression, regulations and mobility checking.
- At Embry University - Riddle, she was subjected to hypoxia in special chambers.
- The next three courses were held in October 2022 at Survival Systems, Groton, Connecticut, USA. These train aviators on how to survive a water landing or disaster situation until rescue teams arrive. Training includes survival and evacuation from the Orion capsule, survival after a parachute ejection, and engineering missions in simulated microgravity underwater through the use of a "Full face mask" and waterproof gear.
Awards and prizes:
- 1st place, World Champions Cup and Gold Medal - "Space Magic", Space Quiz World Cup 2020;
- CERN Master Class Certificate in Particle Physics (2020, 2019);
- Space Academy Wings Award from NASA International Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama, USA, 2019;
- 1st place in the Second Regional Science Competition "Science in person" - project "Mars" 2019;
- Invitation to NASA International Space Camp - Advanced Space Academy Elite Program 2019';
- Outstanding Camper Award from NASA International Space Camp in Turkey, 2018;
- Robotics team awards: 3rd place Division A and Special Award for Teamwork - National Competition "Robotics for Bulgaria" SAP Lab, 2019.
Tatyana is the face of the Space Camp Turkiye program for Bulgaria, President and Founder of Interact Club Dobrich and Ambassador of The Mars Generation Foundation. She is a volunteer with the Bulgarian Red Cross, the Dobrich Youth Center and “Green Flame”, a non-profit organization actively working with youth in the fields of ecology, education and culture.
She enjoys writing poems, essays, short stories and song lyrics, has a published book of poetry, can sing and play the drums, and danced modern ballet for 10 years. She speaks fluent English and has studied Russian and Spanish. She is also a certified Open Water diver as of September 2022.
Photos: personal archive
