Indian-origin NASA astronaut Anil Menon to begin first ISS mission on July 14

3 min readUpdated: Jul 12, 2026 11:21 AM IST

NASA astronaut Anil Menon and Roscosmos cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina, Soyuz MS-29 prime crew members, pose for a portrait at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Russia.

Credit: GCTC

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 focused on medical, technological, and spaceflight research.

Menon will launch aboard the Roscosmos Soyuz MS-29 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan along with Russian cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina. The three are scheduled to serve as members of Expedition 74/75 aboard the ISS before returning to Earth in April 2027.

Who is Anil Menon?

Born in Minneapolis to Indian and Ukrainian immigrant parents, Menon is an emergency medicine physician and a colonel in the US Space Force.

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 designed for future missions to the Moon and Mars.

Before joining NASA’s astronaut corps, Menon 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 Menon as an astronaut in December 2021, after which he completed the agency’s two-year astronaut training programme.

Menon also spent a year in India as a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar, supporting polio vaccination initiatives.

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What will Anil Menon do at ISS?

During his stay aboard the ISS, Menon will conduct experiments examining the physiological effects of long-duration spaceflight, including how microgravity alters blood flow, vein structure, and blood composition.

He will also help test technologies to produce intravenous fluids using the station’s potable water system — a capability considered critical for future deep-space missions where medical supplies will be limited.

His research will include refining the in-space production of semiconductor crystals, which could support large-scale manufacturing of components used in high-performance computing, artificial intelligence, and advanced medical devices.

Menon will also perform ultrasound investigations using augmented reality and artificial intelligence, work that could reduce astronauts’ dependence on medical support from Earth during future missions.

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Kerala CM congratulates Menon

Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheesan congratulated Menon ahead of the mission, describing it as a “truly historic milestone” for the state.

In a post on X, Satheesan said Menon’s research on semiconductor crystals and medicines reflected human excellence.

“The entire Malayali community stands together in extending our collective prayers and best wishes for a safe and successful mission,” he said.

With PTI Inputs