Jack of many trades, master of space: Meet Dr Anil Menon, first Malayali-origin NASA astronaut heading to space

A `jack of all trades' is someone who tries his hand at many things but rarely masters them all. Dr Anil Menon, however, turns that old phrase on its head. He has ventured into several fields and left his mark on each, a master in every sense. A mechanical engineer, doctor, experienced pilot and colonel in the US Space Force, Anil wears many hats and wears each with distinction.

His first journey into space as part of a NASA mission comes with a string of crucial research assignments. Chief among them is a study exploring whether intravenous (IV) fluids can be produced in zero gravity using clean water available aboard the International Space Station.

For future missions to the Moon and Mars, carrying large quantities of intravenous fluids from Earth would be both costly and impractical. Producing IV fluids on demand could therefore prove crucial for medical emergencies in space, an area where Anil's experience as an emergency physician and former flight surgeon could be particularly valuable.

The study will examine how microgravity affects astronauts' veins, blood flow and blood composition during long-duration space missions. It will also look at the upward shift of body fluids in microgravity and the changes it triggers in the human body.

Anil will also be involved in research exploring the use of artificial intelligence and augmented reality for medical examinations in space, besides taking part in a semiconductor manufacturing project. Add to this his regular duties as a flight engineer aboard the station and Anil clearly has a packed mission ahead.

From Everest to space
Born in Minneapolis to Sankaran Menon, who moved from Ottapalam to the US for his PhD, and his Ukrainian wife, Elizabeth Samolenko, Anil began his academic journey at Harvard University. He later studied mechanical engineering at Stanford University, where he also earned his medical degree. He also carried out significant research on Huntington's disease, a disorder that causes the progressive degeneration of nerve cells.

Fascinated by space since childhood, Anil went on to work with both NASA and SpaceX. He served as flight surgeon for SpaceX's first human spaceflight mission before joining NASA's astronaut training programme in 2021.

His career has also taken him far beyond laboratories and spacecraft. Anil served in US military operations in Afghanistan and also took part in earthquake relief missions in Haiti and Nepal. He has visited India several times and spent extended periods in the Himalayas, working with teams supporting Everest climbers.

Before Anil, there was Anna! 
As Anil Menon prepares for his maiden lift-off, he is following a path already taken at home. His wife Anna has been to space and back.

An engineer and flight controller, Anna is an expert in the complex behind-the-scenes operations that keep space missions on course. In September 2024, however, she stepped out from behind the scenes to fly aboard the Polaris Dawn mission.

After earning bachelor’s degrees in mathematics and Spanish from Texas Christian University, Anna pursued a master’s in biomedical engineering at Duke University before joining NASA as a biomedical flight controller. She later moved into commercial spaceflight, joining SpaceX as a lead space operations engineer.

At SpaceX, Anna played a key role in human spaceflight missions under its famed Crew Dragon programme and helped develop operational procedures for astronauts aboard the Dragon spacecraft.

Her own chance to head into space came when she was selected as a mission specialist and medical officer for Polaris Dawn, funded by entrepreneur Jared Isaacman.

Polaris Dawn became one of the most ambitious private space missions ever undertaken. The spacecraft travelled about 1,400 kilometres above Earth, taking humans farther from the planet than at any time since the Apollo lunar missions. It also facilitated the world's first commercial spacewalk.

Anil and Anna have two children. Anna has also written `Kisses from space', a children's book inspired by her journey.