NASA Astronaut Anil Menon Set For Debut Space Station Mission
The Minneapolis-born astronaut is scheduled to launch aboard Russia's Soyuz MS-29 spacecraft in June 2026, joining Russian cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina for the journey. The crew will depart from Kazakhstan's Baikonur Cosmodrome and spend approximately eight months conducting research aboard the orbital laboratory.
During his extended stay in space, Menon will participate in scientific experiments and technology demonstrations designed to advance human space exploration capabilities while generating benefits for life on Earth.
Menon joined NASA's astronaut corps in 2021 and completed his training with the 23rd astronaut class in 2024. Following his initial preparation as an astronaut candidate, he began specialized training for his first space station assignment.
The accomplished astronaut brings a unique background combining medicine, engineering, and military service. Born to Indian and Ukrainian parents, Menon serves as an emergency medicine physician, mechanical engineer, and holds the rank of colonel in the United States Space Force.
His educational credentials include a neurobiology degree from Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, along with a master's degree in mechanical engineering and medical degree from Stanford University in California. He furthered his medical training through emergency medicine and aerospace medicine residencies at Stanford and the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston.
Beyond his NASA duties, Menon continues practicing emergency medicine at Memorial Hermann's Texas Medical Center while teaching medical residents at the University of Texas program. His space industry experience includes serving as SpaceX's inaugural flight surgeon, where he supported the groundbreaking crewed Dragon spacecraft launch during NASA's SpaceX Demo-2 mission and helped establish SpaceX's medical operations for future human spaceflight missions.
Menon's expertise extended to serving as crew flight surgeon for both SpaceX missions and NASA expeditions to the space station, providing critical medical support for space operations.
The International Space Station has maintained continuous human presence for nearly 25 years, serving as humanity's premier orbital research facility. The station's scientific work supports NASA's ambitious goals for deep space exploration, including lunar missions under the Artemis program and eventual human journeys to Mars, while also fostering commercial space activities in low Earth orbit and beyond.
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