The International Space Station is about to welcome a new crew as NASA astronaut Anil Menon prepares for his first trip into orbit. The mission is scheduled to take off today i.e. on July 14, 2026, aboard the Russian Soyuz MS-29 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, in which Menon will be accompanied by Roscosmos astronauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina. Once in orbit, the spacecraft are expected to complete a rapid rendezvous with the station and dock more than three hours after launch, at which point the trio will become part of the Long Duration Expedition 74 and 75 crews.Reportedly, their stay is expected to last approximately 8 months, during which they will support a wide range of scientific investigations and technology demonstrations aimed at improving future human space flight, as well as contribute to research with practical applications on Earth.
Who is Anil Menon: Doctors and military officers are now going towards space
For Anil Menon, this mission marks the beginning of his career as an astronaut after working for years in medicine, aerospace and military service.The 49-year-old was born in Minneapolis to parents of Indian and Ukrainian descent. Before joining NASA’s astronaut corps, he pursued a diverse career that combined emergency medicine with operational experience in demanding environments. As a physician, he treated patients in hospitals and remote mountain areas through the Himalayan Rescue Association, where he cared for climbers in the Everest region.His military background includes service as a colonel in the US Space Force, while earlier assignments with the US Air Force saw him deployed to Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom. Those experiences spanning clinical medicine, aviation, and extreme environments ultimately led him toward astronaut training.The Soyuz MS-29 mission is Menon’s first journey into space. During his eight-month stay aboard the International Space Station, he will help conduct experiments on semiconductor manufacturing, space medicine, blood circulation in microgravity and bioprinting technologies, while contributing to the station’s day-to-day scientific operations.
Anil Menon’s ISS mission: Launch date, crew, duration, research and key details
| mission statement | Information |
| Objective | Soyuz MS-29 |
| launch date | 14 July 2026 |
| launch site | Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan |
| launch vehicle | Russian Soyuz MS-29 spacecraft |
| launch time | 8:17 PM IST (10:47 AM EDT) |
| Destination | International Space Station (ISS) |
| mission duration | about 8 months |
| ISS mission | Campaign 74 and Campaign 75 |
| crew members | Anil Menon (NASA), Pyotr Dubrov (Roscosmos), Anna Kikina (Roscosmos) |
| primary mission | To conduct scientific research and technology demonstration in microgravity. |
| mission goal | Advance human space exploration into the future while supporting medical, manufacturing, and biological research with applications on Earth |
How will the Soyuz MS-29 mission reach the International Space Station?
The Soyuz MS-29 spacecraft is scheduled to launch from Baikonur at 10:47 am. EDT, corresponding to 8:17 p.m. Indian Standard Time.Menon is joined by Roscosmos cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov, returning for his second space flight, and Anna Kikina, also making her second trip into orbit. Among these three, Menon is the only person to become an astronaut for the first time.The spacecraft will follow a two-orbit profile before automatically docking with the station’s Prichal module about three hours after launch. Once pressure checks and safety procedures are complete, the passageways between the Soyuz and the station will open, allowing the crew to enter their new home in orbit.
PC: NASA
Astronauts and astronauts are already living on the ISS
After arrival, the visiting astronauts will become part of the International Space Station’s resident expeditionary crew.As reported by NASA, they will be joined by NASA astronauts Jessica Meir, Jack Hathaway and Chris Williams, European Space Agency astronaut Sophie Adenot, as well as Roscosmos astronauts Sergei Kud-Sverchkov, Sergei Mikaev and Andrey Fadeyev.The number of crew on the station changes regularly with the arrival and departure of spacecraft, ensuring that scientific work continues without interruption throughout the year.
What research will Anil Menon do on ISS?
Much of Menon’s time in orbit will be devoted to scientific investigations that depend on the microgravity environment of the space station.One project will investigate better methods for producing semiconductor crystals in space. Scientists hope the work will support future manufacturing techniques for advanced electronic components used in areas such as high-performance computing, artificial intelligence systems and medical technology.They are also expected to participate in studies using ultrasound supported by augmented reality and artificial intelligence. Its purpose is to make medical imaging easier for astronauts working away from Earth, thereby reducing reliance on ground-based experts during future deep space missions.Another investigation will examine how blood circulates in weightlessness. Understanding these changes is considered important for the safety of astronauts during long-duration missions beyond low Earth orbit.Menon will also participate in experiments involving bioprinting of vascular tissue in microgravity. Researchers are studying whether this environment could improve the understanding of aging and ultimately contribute to future therapeutic research.