Meet Anil Menon - Indian-Origin NASA astronaut assigned to first International Space Station mission: WHEN will the journey begin?

NASA has officially assigned astronaut Dr Anil Menon to his inaugural spaceflight mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Menon will serve as a flight engineer and a core member of Expedition 75. He is scheduled to launch in June 2026 on the Roscosmos Soyuz MS-29 spacecraft, accompanied by Russian cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina. Menon will be the first Indian‑American NASA astronaut to follow directly after Sunita Williams since her last flight. The mission will lift off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, with the crew expected to live and work on the station for approximately eight months.

During the expedition, Menon will contribute to a broad range of scientific investigations and technology demonstrations. These activities are designed to advance human understanding of spaceflight, improve life on Earth, and support NASA’s ambitions for long-duration missions to the Moon and Mars. Menon was selected as a NASA astronaut in 2021 and completed his training as part of NASA’s 23rd astronaut class in 2024. Following his graduation, he began preparations for his first spaceflight assignment, including technical briefings, mission simulations, and physical conditioning for long-duration space travel.

Who Is Anil Menon?

Dr Anil Menon is a physician, mechanical engineer, and colonel in the United States Space Force. He was born and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to Indian and Ukrainian immigrant parents. Menon holds a unique combination of academic, medical, and aerospace experience that distinguishes him within the NASA astronaut corps.He earned a bachelor’s degree in neurobiology from Harvard University, followed by a master’s degree in mechanical engineering and a Doctor of Medicine (MD) from Stanford University. He went on to complete residencies in both emergency medicine and aerospace medicine at Stanford University and the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston.

Before becoming an astronaut, Menon made significant contributions to both the medical and aerospace communities. He served as SpaceX’s first flight surgeon, where he helped oversee the historic NASA-SpaceX Demo-2 mission — the first crewed flight of the Dragon spacecraft. He played a central role in establishing SpaceX’s human spaceflight medical program and supported NASA and SpaceX missions as a crew flight surgeon. Despite his demanding schedule, Menon continues to practice emergency medicine at Memorial Hermann’s Texas Medical Center and teaches residents in the University of Texas medical residency program, further demonstrating his commitment to both medicine and mentorship.

Menon’s assignment to Expedition 75 underscores NASA’s continued investment in international collaboration and the development of the next generation of explorers. His journey to the ISS will support crucial research that underpins future missions under NASA’s Artemis campaign and its long-term goal of human exploration of Mars. As the International Space Station marks nearly a quarter-century of continuous human presence in space, Menon’s upcoming mission reflects both the enduring legacy of space exploration and its promising future.