Indian-Origin NASA Astronaut Anil Menon Set for First Space Mission

Indian-origin NASA astronaut Anil Menon is set to begin his first space mission on July 15 (IST), as he travels to the International Space Station (ISS) for an eight-month scientific expedition focused on research that could support future deep-space missions and improve technologies on Earth.

Menon will launch aboard the Roscosmos Soyuz MS-29 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 8:17 pm IST, alongside Russian cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina.

The spacecraft is expected to complete a two-orbit journey of around three hours before automatically docking with the ISS’s Prichal module at 11:26 pm IST. After arrival, the crew will join Expedition 74/75 aboard the orbiting laboratory.

Menon joins international ISS crew

During his stay, Menon will work alongside astronauts and cosmonauts from multiple space agencies, including:

• NASA astronauts Jessica Meir, Jack Hathaway and Chris Williams
• European Space Agency astronaut Sophie Adenot
• Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov, Sergei Mikaev and Andrey Fedyaev

The mission will be Menon’s first spaceflight, while Dubrov and Kikina will be making their second journeys into orbit.

The crew is expected to remain aboard the ISS until April 2027, completing nearly 240 days of research in microgravity.

Research to support Moon and Mars missions

Menon’s mission will focus on experiments designed to address challenges faced during long-duration space travel, including future missions to the Moon and Mars.

Key areas of research include:

• Semiconductor manufacturing in microgravity: Scientists will study ways to improve the production of semiconductor crystals, which could contribute to advances in high-performance computing, artificial intelligence and medical technologies.
• Space-based medical diagnostics: Menon will conduct ultrasound studies using augmented reality and artificial intelligence tools, helping astronauts independently identify and manage medical issues during missions where communication delays with Earth may occur.
• Cardiovascular health in space: Research will examine changes in blood flow and how the human body adapts to microgravity, supporting the development of protective measures for astronauts.
• Bioprinting experiments: The mission will include studies on creating vascular tissue structures in space to better understand ageing and explore possibilities for regenerative medicine.

From medicine and engineering to space exploration

Menon, a physician and engineer, was selected as a NASA astronaut in 2021. Before joining NASA’s astronaut programme, he served as a flight surgeon at SpaceX, supporting human spaceflight operations.

His first mission represents another step in international cooperation aboard the ISS as space agencies prepare for future human exploration beyond low-Earth orbit.