NASA Astronaut Anil Menon to Fly to ISS on July 14

NASA astronaut Anil Menon is scheduled to launch to the International Space Station (ISS) on 14 July 2026. He will travel aboard the Roscosmos Soyuz MS-29 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 10:47 a.m. EDT.

International Space Station

The International Space Station is a modular orbital laboratory that has been continuously inhabited since November 2000. It operates in low Earth orbit at an altitude of about 400 kilometres and serves as a platform for microgravity research, technology testing, and international crew operations.

Soyuz Crew Transport System

Soyuz MS-29 is part of the Soyuz crewed spacecraft series used by Roscosmos for human spaceflight. The Soyuz system has carried astronauts and cosmonauts to orbital stations for decades and uses a launch vehicle from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, a major spaceport in Kazakhstan.

Mission Profile and Research Work

Menon will join Roscosmos cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina as part of Expedition 74. The mission is expected to last about eight months, with return to Earth planned for April 2027. During the mission, he will conduct research on astronaut vein structure, blood flow, and blood composition in microgravity. He will also test methods for producing intravenous fluids using the ISS potable water system and refine in-space production of semiconductor crystals. Menon was selected as a NASA astronaut in 2021 and completed his training in March 2024.

Important Facts for Exams

• The International Space Station is a joint orbital laboratory involving multiple space agencies, including NASA and Roscosmos.
• Baikonur Cosmodrome is the world’s first and largest operational space launch facility.
• Expedition 74 is a long-duration ISS crew rotation mission.
• Microgravity affects human physiology, including blood circulation and fluid distribution.

NASA Live Coverage

NASA will provide live launch and docking coverage on 14 July 2026 from 9:45 a.m. EDT on NASA+, Amazon Prime, and YouTube. Anil Menon’s flight will be his first space mission after astronaut selection in 2021.