From Flight Surgeon to Flight Engineer: Anil Menon Set for 8-Month ISS Mission
Public Lokpal
July 10, 2026
From Flight Surgeon to Flight Engineer: Anil Menon Set for 8-Month ISS Mission
New Delhi: NASA astronaut Dr. Anil Menon is making history as he prepares for an eight-month mission to the International Space Station (ISS). Launching aboard the Soyuz MS-29 spacecraft on July 14, 2026, the Indian-Ukrainian American will serve as a flight engineer for Expeditions 74/75.
Menon is a true polymath a U.S. Space Force Colonel, an emergency physician, and a mechanical engineer. Because of his extensive medical background, his 240-day orbital stay will heavily prioritize pioneering deep-space health experiments.
He will test autonomous, AI-driven medical tech designed for future Mars missions, experiment with manufacturing medical-grade IV fluids from station water, and study microgravity's effects on human cardiovascular health.
Menon and his crew will live and work aboard the orbital laboratory until April 2027, gathering critical data to pave the way for humanity's return to the Moon and beyond.