NASA flight surgeon finally flies to orbit
Originally published Jul 15, 2026
By Eric Berger · Ars Technica
AI-generated summary based on Ars Technica · Aggregated by OffScreenSpace · Human-reviewed and approved on Jul 15, 2026
Key points
- Anil Menon flew to space on Soyuz after four failed astronaut applications.
- His background includes emergency medicine, mountaineering, and military rescue missions.
- Menon's role at NASA focused on training astronauts for long‑duration ISS flights.
- Both he and his wife Anna traveled together as part of Expedition 75.
After four unsuccessful applications, NASA flight surgeon Anil Menon achieved his lifelong goal of traveling to space as a member of Expedition 75. Menon's career spans emergency medicine on Mount Everest, disaster relief in Haiti, and search‑and‑rescue missions in Afghanistan before joining NASA as a flight surgeon supporting Soyuz launches.
In 2026, both Menon and his wife, astronaut candidate Anna Menon, boarded the Russian Soyuz from Baikonur, marking the first time the former astronaut hopeful has flown to orbit. His journey underscores a shift toward space medicine and highlights personal perseverance amid evolving commercial‑government partnerships.
Read the original story: Ars Technica — by Eric Berger