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Raja Chari Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated October 1, 2026 • 3 min read

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Quick Info

Date of birthJune 24, 1977

Age49 years

BirthplaceMilwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.

ProfessionTest Pilot and Astronaut

NationalityAmerican

Marital statusMarried

SpouseHolly Schaffter Chari

FamilyThree children; parents Sreenivas V. Chari and Peggy; brother Krishna Chari

Raja Chari Biography

Raja Jon Vurputoor Chari was born on June 24, 1977, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and grew up in Cedar Falls, Iowa. His father, Sreenivas V. Chari, worked as an engineer in the United States and his mother, Peggy, worked as a nurse and teacher.

Early life and background

Raja Jon Vurputoor Chari was born on June 24, 1977, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and grew up in Cedar Falls, Iowa. His father, Sreenivas V. Chari, worked as an engineer in the United States and his mother, Peggy, worked as a nurse and teacher. Chari has a younger brother named Krishna. From a young age he showed an intense interest in aircraft and flight; family recollections describe him making toy planes and imagining different types of aircraft as a child.

Chari completed high school at Columbus High School in Waterloo, Iowa, in 1995. He went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Astronautical Engineering and Engineering Science with a minor in Mathematics from the United States Air Force Academy in 1999. He later received a Master of Science in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he was a Draper Fellow.

Career

After graduating from the Air Force Academy, Chari completed undergraduate pilot training at Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma, and began an Air Force flying career that included operational assignments and test pilot work. He joined Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, with Pacific Air Forces in November 2003 and later completed F-15E Strike Eagle training at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in North Carolina.

Chari served as an F-15E instructor pilot and, in 2006, was assigned as an F-15E instructor pilot at RAF Lakenheath in England. He attended the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School in 2007 and served as an experimental test pilot for the F-15 with the 40th Flight Test Squadron at Eglin Air Force Base beginning in December 2008.

His Air Force career progressed into program management and leadership roles. He served as a SAF/RCO program manager and in June 2015 became commander of the 461st Flight Test Squadron and director of the F-35 Integrated Test Force. Over the course of his Air Force service he received multiple decorations, including the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Aerial Achievement Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal, Air Force Achievement Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Korean Defense Service Medal, and the Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal.

NASA and spaceflight

Chari was selected as a NASA astronaut and began working with the agency in June 2017. After two years at NASA, he served as Joint Test Team Director for the Commercial Crew Program in 2019. In 2020 he was named commander of SpaceX Crew-3. The Crew-3 mission launched on November 11, 2021; Chari flew with fellow astronauts Kayla Barron and Tom Marshburn of the United States and Matthias Maurer of Germany.

He was also named to the Artemis Team, a group of astronauts selected to take part in preparations for upcoming lunar missions scheduled for the 2020s.

Public profile

Chari is known by the nickname "Grinder" and is widely recognized for his background as a test pilot and for his role within NASA’s astronaut corps. He has described a lifelong passion for aviation that began in childhood and guided his educational and career choices. Raised in a family with Indian roots on his father’s side, he was brought up in a Catholic household and has spoken about the blended religious background of his parents.

Personal life

Raja Chari is married to Holly Schaffter Chari. The couple has three children. Chari is approximately 1.78 meters tall (about 5 feet 10 inches) and his listed weight is about 75 kilograms (165 pounds). He has black hair and dark eyes.

Latest updates

Chari continues to be active within NASA following his flight on SpaceX Crew-3 and his inclusion in the Artemis Team. His career has spanned operational fighter assignments, test pilot duties, flight test leadership, and astronaut roles at NASA.

Editorial Review and Sources

This F4U profile is prepared from the public references listed below and reviewed for clarity. If you spot an outdated detail about Raja Chari, send the page URL and a reliable correction source to f4udotin@gmail.com.

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Recent Work

SpaceX Crew-3

Mission commander of SpaceX Crew-3, launched November 11, 2021, flying with Kayla Barron, Tom Marshburn, and Matthias Maurer.

2021
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Career Highlights

  1. Selected as a NASA astronaut in June 2017
  2. Commander of SpaceX Crew-3 (launched November 11, 2021)
  3. Served as 461st Flight Test Squadron Commander and F-35 Integrated Test Force Director
  4. Joint Test Team Director for NASA’s Commercial Crew Program
Reviewed by F4U Editorial Desk

F4U profile pages are prepared from public career information, checked for readability, and updated when reliable correction sources are shared with the editorial team.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Raja Chari born?

Raja Chari was born on June 24, 1977.

What is Raja Chari known for?

Raja Chari is known for test Pilot and Astronaut.

What is Raja Chari’s marital status?

Raja Chari's marital status is listed as Married.

Who is Raja Chari married to?

Raja Chari is publicly listed as married to Holly Schaffter Chari.