NASA astronaut Anil Menon, of Indian descent, is scheduled to launch on an eight-month mission to the International Space Station (ISS) on July 14, 2026. The launch will take place from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan aboard the Roscosmos Soyuz MS-29 spacecraft. He will be joined by cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina.
Background and Career
Born in Minneapolis to Ukrainian and Indian immigrants, Menon, 49, is an emergency medicine physician and a colonel in the U.S. Space Force. During his service with the U.S. Air Force, he served on the frontlines in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom. He also worked for the Himalayan Rescue Association, providing medical care to climbers on Mount Everest. Additionally, Menon spent a year in India as a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar, where he studied and supported polio vaccination initiatives.
NASA and SpaceX Experience
Menon began his NASA career as a flight surgeon in 2014, supporting astronauts living and working on the ISS. He joined SpaceX in 2018, where he founded the company's medical program, helped prepare for its first human spaceflights, and worked closely on the development of the Starship spacecraft.
Mission Details
The Soyuz MS-29 mission will transport the crew to the ISS for a planned eight-month stay. This mission marks a significant milestone for Menon, who will become one of the few astronauts of Indian origin to visit the space station.
