Indian-origin NASA astronaut Anil Menon has successfully reached the International Space Station (ISS), marking the beginning of his first space mission. He travelled aboard the Soyuz MS-29 spacecraft along with Roscosmos cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina. The trio lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 10:47 am Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) on Tuesday and reached the orbiting laboratory after a three-hour journey.
Menon Shares Message From Space
A few hours after reaching the ISS, Menon shared a video on his X account along with a stunning view of Earth from space. Sharing the clip, he wrote, "Day 1 in orbit and I’m overwhelmed by gratitude, love, and beauty for this Earth we share. Hello from the International Space Station." In the 1-minute-09-second video, Menon spoke about the people and organisations that helped him fulfil his lifelong dream of travelling to space.
"Hello from the International Space Station. It's day one for me," he said. He then thanked his family members Anna, Grace, and James for their constant support. He wished Grace a happy birthday and thanked his former colleagues at SpaceX. "Thank you all for teaching me how to do the impossible. I have used that lesson time and time again," Menon added.
Special Message For Space Force And NASA
Menon also thanked the US Space Force, describing space as "the biggest domain" and saying he was proud to serve alongside its members. He also expressed his gratitude to NASA and praised the agency's goals of sending humans back to the Moon and to Mars in future. "I'm happy to be working alongside you, using the Space Station as a stepping stone to those huge dreams of ours. Let's go, team. Let's do this," Menon said.
Who Is Anil Menon?
The 49-year-old Anil Menon is an Indian-origin astronaut born in Minneapolis to parents of Indian and Ukrainian origin. This mission marks his first journey into space after years of service in medicine, aerospace, and the military. Before joining NASA's astronaut corps, Menon built a distinguished career in emergency medicine, gaining operational experience in challenging environments. As a physician, he treated patients in hospitals as well as in remote mountain regions through the Himalayan Rescue Association, where he cared for climbers in the Everest region.
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Menon also serves as a colonel in the US Space Force. Before that, he served in the US Air Force and was deployed to Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom. His combined experience in medicine, aviation, and military operations laid the foundation for his selection as a NASA astronaut.
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