Indian-Origin NASA Astronaut Anil Menon Set For First ISS Mission: What To Know About Historic Journey

Published 13 July 2026 · science

Indian-Origin NASA Astronaut Anil Menon Set For First ISS Mission: What To Know About Historic Journey Published By, Last Updated: July 13, 2026, 07:14 IST

Indian-Origin NASA Astronaut Anil Menon Set For First ISS Mission: What To Know About Historic Journey Published By, Last Updated: July 13, 2026, 07:14 IST Anil Menon will launch aboard the Roscosmos Soyuz MS-29 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Rapid Read NASA astronaut Anil Menon is set to launch to the ISS aboard Soyuz MS-29 with Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina. Indian-origin NASA astronaut Anil Menon is set to embark on his first mission to the International Space Station (ISS) on July 14, beginning an eight-month expedition that will focus on human health, advanced technologies and preparations for future deep-space exploration. Anil Menon will launch aboard the Roscosmos Soyuz MS-29 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan alongside Russian cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina. The crew is scheduled to serve as part of Expeditions 74 and 75 aboard the orbiting laboratory before returning to Earth in April 2027. Read more: ‘Tehran Does Not Control The Strait’: US Says Hormuz Open Despite Iran’s Closure Announcement Who Is Anil Menon?

Born in Minneapolis to Indian and Ukrainian immigrant parents, Anil Menon is an emergency medicine physician and a colonel in the US Space Force whose career has spanned medicine, military service and commercial spaceflight. He joined NASA as a flight surgeon in 2014, supporting astronauts living and working aboard the ISS. In 2018, he moved to SpaceX, where he established the company’s medical programme, helped prepare its first human spaceflight missions and contributed to the development of Starship, the spacecraft being designed for future missions to the Moon and Mars. Anil Menon has also served with the US Air Force in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom and worked with the Himalayan Rescue Association, providing medical care to climbers on Mount Everest. NASA selected him as an astronaut in December 2021, after which he completed the agency’s two-year astronaut training programme. Read more: ‘Take Off Your Uniform’: Pakistani Leader Says Army Lost Balochistan, Dares Asim Munir To Fight Elections What Research Will Anil Menon Conduct In Orbit?

During his stay aboard the ISS, Anil Menon will carry out a series of experiments aimed at improving understanding of how the human body adapts to life in space. His work will examine the physiological effects of long-duration spaceflight, including how microgravity influences blood flow, vein structure and blood composition. The findings are expected to support efforts to keep astronauts healthy during future missions beyond low-Earth orbit. Anil Menon will also help test technologies capable of producing intravenous fluids using the ISS’s potable water system. The capability is considered vital for future missions to the Moon, Mars and other deep-space destinations, where medical supplies will be limited and resupply missions may not be possible. Could His Research Shape Future Technologies On Earth? Beyond medical studies, Anil Menon will participate in research aimed at refining the in-space production of semiconductor crystals. Scientists believe manufacturing such materials in microgravity could improve the quality of components used in high-performance computing, artificial intelligence systems and advanced medical devices.