NRI Anil Menon, NASA Astronaut, Set for Historic ISS Mission
Los Angeles, July 13, 2026
NRIpress.club/Ramesh/ A.Gary Singh
NRI Anil Menon, NASA astronaut, is set to embark on a landmark space mission as he launches to the International Space Station (ISS) on July 14 from the historic Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
Menon will travel aboard the Soyuz MS spacecraft as part of an international crew for an approximately eight-month expedition aboard the orbiting laboratory. During the mission, he will participate in a wide range of scientific experiments, technology demonstrations, and station maintenance activities that contribute to future human space exploration.
A physician, engineer, and former SpaceX flight surgeon, Menon joined NASA's astronaut corps in 2021 after an accomplished career in aerospace medicine and emergency healthcare. His selection for this long-duration mission marks a significant milestone in his career and reflects NASA's confidence in his technical expertise and leadership.
The mission highlights continued international cooperation in space exploration, bringing together astronauts from multiple countries to advance scientific research in microgravity and prepare for future missions to the Moon and Mars.
Biography...
NRI Anil Menon NASA astronaut, emergency medicine physician, aerospace medicine specialist, and mechanical engineer. Born on October 15, 1976, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to Indian and Ukrainian immigrant parents, he has built an exceptional career at the intersection of medicine and space exploration.
Menon is married to Anna Menon, a NASA astronaut candidate and former SpaceX engineer. Together, they have two children and are among the few couples actively involved in human spaceflight.
A graduate of Harvard University in Neurobiology, Menon later earned a Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering and a Doctor of Medicine (MD) from Stanford University. He also completed specialized training in emergency and aerospace medicine.
Before becoming an astronaut, Menon served as a NASA flight surgeon, supporting multiple International Space Station (ISS) missions, and later became SpaceX's first flight surgeon, where he played a key role in the historic Crew Dragon and Inspiration4 missions. He also served in the U.S. Air Force, flying more than 100 sorties in F-15 fighter jets and participating in critical care air transport missions.
In December 2021, Menon was selected as a member of NASA Astronaut Group 23. After completing astronaut training in 2024, he was assigned to Soyuz MS-29, scheduled to launch in July 2026 for an approximately eight-month mission to the International Space Station as part of Expeditions 74 and 75.
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