Indian-origin Nasa astronaut Anil Menon set for first space mission aboard Soyuz spacecraft

Indian-origin Nasa astronaut Anil Menon is set to embark on his first journey into space on Tuesday, launching aboard the Nasa-Roscosmos Soyuz MS-29 spacecraft.

The spacecraft is scheduled to lift off at 10:47 am EDT (2:47 pm UTC) from the historic Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, carrying Menon and two Russian cosmonauts on an eight-month research mission aboard the Nasa International Space Station (ISS).

Menon will serve as a flight engineer during Nasa Expeditions 74 and 75, working alongside experienced Russian cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina. The Soyuz spacecraft is expected to complete a quick two-orbit rendezvous before autonomously docking with the Nasa ISS’s Prichal module less than three hours after launch.

From Minneapolis to Nasa astronaut

Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Menon’s journey to becoming a Nasa astronaut has brought together medicine, engineering, military service and space exploration.

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The 49-year-old emergency medicine physician is also a colonel in the US Space Force. He earned a bachelor’s degree in neurobiology from Harvard University, a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from Stanford University, and a Doctor of Medicine degree from Stanford Medical School.

The son of Ukrainian and Indian immigrants, Menon built a career around working in some of the most challenging environments before joining Nasa’s astronaut programme.

A career shaped by high-risk missions

Before wearing a Nasa spacesuit, Menon worked in several demanding roles.

As a military flight surgeon, he served with the US Air Force and was deployed to Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom, providing medical support in a combat environment.

He also worked in extreme wilderness medicine, treating climbers attempting to scale Mount Everest through the Himalayan Rescue Association.

His connection with India came through public health work. As a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar, Menon spent a year in India supporting polio vaccination campaigns.

Menon has been closely connected with human spaceflight for more than a decade.

He joined Nasa in 2014 as a flight surgeon, supporting astronauts living aboard the Nasa ISS and helping monitor their health during long-duration missions.

In 2018, Menon moved to SpaceX, where he established the company’s first medical programme. He served as the lead flight surgeon for SpaceX’s first crewed missions and helped develop medical systems for future deep-space exploration.

Nasa selected Menon for Astronaut Group 23 in December 2021, taking him from supporting astronauts on Earth to preparing for his own mission in orbit.

Space exploration has also become a family journey for Menon. His wife, Anna Menon, a senior SpaceX engineer and astronaut, flew to orbit in September 2024 during the historic Polaris Dawn mission.

Nasa mission to study human survival in space

Given his medical background, Menon’s mission will focus heavily on space medicine and the challenges of keeping astronauts healthy during long-duration missions.

As Nasa prepares for future missions to the Moon and Mars, researchers are studying how microgravity affects the human body and how astronauts can manage medical emergencies far from Earth.

Key research areas during Menon’s eight-month Nasa ISS mission include:

Studying the human body in microgravity

Menon will participate in Nasa research examining how prolonged weightlessness affects blood circulation, veins and blood composition.

The findings could help scientists reduce health risks faced by astronauts during future deep-space missions.

Developing emergency medical technology

The mission will test new Nasa medical technology capable of converting drinking water aboard the Nasa ISS into sterile intravenous fluids.

The technology could become essential for future missions where astronauts cannot receive regular medical supplies from Earth.

AI-powered medical support

Menon will also conduct Nasa experiments involving ultrasound imaging combined with artificial intelligence and augmented reality.

The research could help astronauts diagnose and manage medical conditions independently during missions where immediate communication with doctors on Earth is impossible.

Growing advanced semiconductor crystals

Nasa researchers will continue microgravity experiments focused on semiconductor crystal growth.

The research could contribute to the development of advanced computing systems and future AI technologies on Earth.

Menon’s Nasa mission has generated excitement among the Indian diaspora and space enthusiasts in both the United States and India.