From New Delhi Streets to Earth Orbit: Anil Menon’s Path to Space

A physician, engineer, and US Space Force colonel, Menon brings a unique history to the International Space Station. His trajectory began in India, where he worked on grassroots polio vaccination campaigns, before leading him through Harvard and seven years of problem-solving at SpaceX. This mission represents a shift from his 2013 role as a flight surgeon at Star City—where he once supported other crews—to the one strapped atop a Soyuz MS-29 rocket.

Preparing for deep space requires more than physical endurance, though Menon is well-versed in the rigors of Ironman competitions and military-grade crucible training. He emphasizes that the true challenge is psychological, a resilience honed by years of tackling aerospace hurdles under mission commander Jared Isaacman. Reflecting on his journey, he credits his formative years in India with teaching him that geographic and social boundaries are not fixed. As he prepares to leave the atmosphere, he views the mission not as a personal achievement but as part of a collective human effort, encouraging the next generation of Indian youth to look beyond their immediate surroundings toward the stars.