Prof. Dr. Pratiwi Pujilestari Sudarmono ,PhD

(Lahir : 31 Juli 1952)

Prof. Dr. dr. Pratiwi Pujilestari Sudarmono, PhD, Sp.MK(K) is a legendary Indonesian scientist widely recognized as the country’s first—and so far, only—female astronaut candidate selected for a NASA space mission.

As of 2026, she remains a central figure in Indonesian medicine and clinical microbiology. Below is her complete profile:

1. Personal Data & Education

Birth: Bandung, July 31, 1952.
Early Education: St. Joseph Elementary School (Bandung), St. Angela Middle School (Bandung), and Tarakanita Girls’ High School (Jakarta).
Higher Education:
- Master’s in Medicine: University of Indonesia (1977).
- Doctorate (PhD) in Molecular Biology: Osaka University, Japan (1984).
- Fulbright Program: Served as a researcher for the Fulbright New Century Scholar program (2001–2002).

2. Space Career (NASA Mission)

In 1985, Dr. Pratiwi was selected from 200 applicants to serve as a Payload Specialist for the STS-61-H mission aboard a NASA space shuttle.

Mission Objective: To launch the Palapa B-3 satellite and conduct various scientific experiments regarding human physiological endurance in space.
The Challenger Tragedy: The launch was scheduled for June 1986 but was cancelled following the explosion of the Space Shuttle Challenger in January 1986, which led NASA to temporarily suspend all flight schedules.
Honorary Status: Although she never officially left the atmosphere, she is formally recognized as an astronaut and holds the NASA Astronaut Pin.

3. Academic & Medical Career

After returning fully to academia, she made significant contributions to Indonesian public health:

University of Indonesia (UI): Served as a Professor of Microbiology at the Faculty of Medicine, UI. She previously held positions as the Head of the Microbiology Department (1994–2000) and Vice Dean.
YARSI University: Since 2025, she has been recorded as the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at YARSI University.
Pandemic Contributions: Played an active role in handling COVID-19 through viral variant analysis (WGS) and was involved in the National Genomic Surveillance Consortium.
Research: She has authored over 80 scientific publications in clinical microbiology, specifically focusing on Salmonella typhi, Hepatitis C, and HIV.

4. Awards & Cultural Inspiration

Awards: Received the Inspiring Women in STEM award (2019) and was named an Ikon Prestasi Pancasila by the BPIP (2022).
Film Inspiration: Her life story and dedication inspired the science fiction film titled Pelangi di Mars (released around 2025), where the lead character was based on her journey.

Current Role Summary (2026)

Today, she remains active in teaching and leadership within educational institutions while continuing to be a primary reference for microbiology issues and national health policy. She is frequently cited as a symbol of the resilience and excellence of Indonesian women in the global scientific arena.

Prof. Dr. dr. Pratiwi Pujilestari Sudarmono, PhD, Sp.MK(K) adalah sosok ilmuwan legendaris Indonesia yang dikenal luas sebagai astronot pertama sekaligus satu-satunya perempuan asal Indonesia yang pernah terpilih untuk misi luar angkasa NASA.

Hingga tahun 2026, beliau tetap menjadi figur sentral dalam dunia kedokteran dan mikrobiologi klinis di Indonesia. Berikut adalah profil lengkap beliau:

1. Data Pribadi & Pendidikan

Kelahiran: Bandung, 31 Juli 1952.
Pendidikan Menengah: SD St. Joseph (Bandung), SMP St. Angela (Bandung), dan SMA Putri Tarakanita (Jakarta).
Pendidikan Tinggi:
- Master di Bidang Kedokteran: Universitas Indonesia (1977).
- Doktor (PhD) Bidang Biologi Molekuler: Universitas Osaka, Jepang (1984).
- Program Fulbright: Menjadi peneliti di Fulbright New Century Scholar (2001–2002).

2. Karier Antariksa (Misi NASA)

Pada tahun 1985, dr. Pratiwi terpilih dari 200 pelamar untuk menjadi Spesialis Muatan (Payload Specialist) dalam misi STS-61-H menggunakan pesawat ulang-alik NASA.

Tujuan Misi: Meluncurkan satelit Palapa B-3 dan melakukan berbagai eksperimen ilmiah mengenai daya tahan tubuh manusia di luar angkasa.
Tragedi Challenger: Peluncurannya dijadwalkan pada Juni 1986, namun dibatalkan setelah meledaknya pesawat ulang-alik Challenger pada Januari 1986 yang menyebabkan NASA menghentikan seluruh jadwal penerbangan sementara waktu.
Gelar Kehormatan: Meski batal mengangkasa, beliau secara resmi diakui sebagai astronot dan memegang NASA Astronaut Pin.

3. Karier Akademik & Medis

Setelah kembali ke jalur akademik sepenuhnya, beliau memberikan kontribusi besar bagi kesehatan masyarakat Indonesia:

Universitas Indonesia (UI): Menjabat sebagai Guru Besar (Profesor) Mikrobiologi di Fakultas Kedokteran UI, pernah menjadi Ketua Departemen Mikrobiologi (1994–2000), serta Wakil Dekan FKUI.
Universitas YARSI: Sejak 2025, beliau tercatat menjabat sebagai Dekan Fakultas Kedokteran Universitas YARSI.
Kontribusi Pandemi: Berperan aktif dalam penanganan COVID-19 melalui analisis varian virus (WGS) dan terlibat dalam National Genomic Surveillance Consortium.
Penelitian: Memiliki lebih dari 80 publikasi ilmiah di bidang mikrobiologi klinis, khususnya mengenai bakteri Salmonella typhi, Hepatitis C, hingga HIV.

4. Penghargaan & Inspirasi Budaya

Penghargaan: Menerima penghargaan Inspiring Women in STEM (2019) dan dinobatkan sebagai Ikon Prestasi Pancasila oleh BPIP (2022).
Inspirasi Film: Kisah hidup dan perjuangannya menginspirasi film fiksi ilmiah berjudul Pelangi di Mars (rilis sekitar 2025), di mana karakter utamanya terinspirasi dari dedikasi beliau.

Ringkasan Peran Saat Ini (2026)

Saat ini, beliau masih aktif mengajar dan memimpin di institusi pendidikan, sembari tetap menjadi rujukan utama dalam isu-isu mikrobiologi dan kebijakan kesehatan nasional. Beliau sering disebut sebagai simbol kegigihan perempuan Indonesia di kancah sains global.

Amir Maulana – SKYWORLD