Indian-origin Anil Menon begins space mission

Washington, July 15 (IANS) Indian-origin NASA astronaut Anil Menon blasted off to the International Space Station (ISS) on Tuesday aboard Russia’s Soyuz MS-29 spacecraft, beginning his first spaceflight on an eight-month mission focused on scientific research and technology demonstrations.

The Soyuz spacecraft lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 10:47 a.m. EDT (7:47 p.m. Baikonur time), carrying Menon alongside Roscosmos cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina. The spacecraft reached orbit shortly after launch and docked automatically with the ISS’s Prichal module at 1:52 p.m. EDT following a two-orbit journey lasting about three hours.

Before liftoff, Menon wrote on social media: “Proud to serve the United States Space Force and fly to the International Space Station today in support of NASA and our international partners!”

In another post ahead of the mission, he said: “Excited to launch aboard Soyuz MS-29 from Kazakhstan and begin an eight-month mission supporting NASA and Expedition 74/75. Grateful for the NASA community, friends, family, and loved ones and excited for tomorrow.”

NASA said the newly arrived crew will spend about eight months aboard the orbital laboratory before returning to Earth in April 2027.

This is Menon’s first journey into space, while it marks the second spaceflight for both Dubrov and Kikina.

Once aboard the station, the trio joined NASA astronauts Jessica Meir, Jack Hathaway and Chris Williams, European Space Agency astronaut Sophie Adenot, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov, Sergei Mikaev and Andrey Fedyaev as members of Expedition 74/75.

During his stay aboard the ISS, Menon will conduct a series of scientific investigations and technology demonstrations designed to support future human space exploration while delivering benefits on Earth, NASA said.

According to NASA, his work will include research to refine the in-space production of semiconductor crystals that could enable the large-scale manufacturing of components for high-performance computers, artificial intelligence systems and improved medical devices.

He also will perform ultrasound using augmented reality and artificial intelligence methods that could reduce the need for medical support from Earth during future deep-space missions.

NASA said Menon will serve as a test subject in studies examining how blood flow changes in space, research aimed at protecting astronauts on future long-duration missions. He also will test bioprinting vascular constructs in microgravity to improve understanding of the ageing process and advance therapeutic development.

NASA described the mission as part of the continuing scientific work aboard the International Space Station, where astronauts and cosmonauts have maintained a continuous human presence for more than 25 years.

The International Space Station serves as a unique laboratory for research that cannot be carried out on Earth because of gravity. The experiments conducted there support advances in medicine, materials science, biology and engineering while helping space agencies prepare for future missions beyond low-Earth orbit.

–IANS

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