Anil Menon, a US Space Force colonel and emergency medicine physician, has launched his first space mission aboard the Soyuz MS-29 spacecraft to the International Space Station.The eight-month journey, set to conclude in April 2027, includes collaboration with Russian cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina.

Menon's mission involves critical scientific research on long-duration spaceflight effects, including studying microgravity's impact on blood flow and vein structure.He will also test technologies for producing intravenous fluids using the station's water system, crucial for future deep-space missions.Notably, the spacecraft carries drawings by Indian schoolchildren, part of a cultural exchange initiative celebrating India-Russia space cooperation.

Menon, born to Ukrainian and Indian immigrants, has previously worked on Polio vaccination initiatives in India and contributed to SpaceX's medical programs.His wife, Anna Wilhelm, also an astronaut, joined a private spaceflight in 2024.The mission underscores international collaboration in advancing human space exploration.