Indian-origin astronaut Anil Menon lifts-off to ISS: Inside Russia's eight-month mission

Indian-origin Nasa astronaut Anil Menon, along with his two Russian cosmonauts on Tuesday lifted off aboard the Roscosmos Soyuz MS-29 spacecraft for his first spaceflight, beginning an approximately eight-month mission to the International Space Station (ISS).The spacecraft launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 8.17 pm IST (10.47 am EDT), carrying Menon alongside Russian cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina. After a two-orbit, three-hour journey, the Soyuz spacecraft is scheduled to dock automatically with the ISS's Prichal module.Born in Minneapolis to an Indian father and a Ukrainian mother, the 49-year-old Menon is an emergency medicine physician, a US Space Force colonel, and a Nasa astronaut selected in 2021.Also read: Russia successfully launches Indian-origin Nasa astronaut Anil Menon to space What is the mission about?Menon and his crewmates will support Expeditions 74 and 75, carrying out scientific experiments and technology demonstrations aimed at advancing long-duration human spaceflight, during their stay aboard the orbiting laboratory.A major focus of Menon's mission will be understanding how the human body adapts to extended periods in microgravity. He will participate in studies examining blood flow, vein structure and blood composition to better understand the physiological effects of space travel and help protect astronauts on future missions to the Moon and Mars.Menon will also help test a system that can produce intravenous (IV) fluids using the ISS's potable water supply, a capability considered crucial for deep-space missions where medical supplies cannot be easily replenished.Another key experiment will focus on manufacturing semiconductor crystals in microgravity, research that could improve the production of components used in high-performance computing, artificial intelligence and advanced medical devices on Earth.