Anil Menon (American NASA Astronaut) Biography

Quick Info

Profession	NASA Astronaut
Nationality	American
Date of Birth	15/10/1976
Age	49 years
Birthplace	Minneapolis, Minnesota

Latest News about Anil Menon

10/07/2026

NASA announced that Anil Menon had been assigned to his first spaceflight, with a launch planned for July 14, 2026 aboard Roscosmos Soyuz MS-29. The mission was set to send him to the International Space Station as part of Expeditions 74/75 for an approximately eight-month stay focused on research and operations aboard the orbiting laboratory.

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Bio/Wiki

Full Name	Anil Madhavan Samoilenko Menon

Physical Stats & More

Height	180 cm
Eye Color	Brown
Hair Color	Black

Educational Qualification(s)

Education	Duration: 1991 - 1995 Qualification: High School Institution: Saint Paul Academy and Summit School Duration: 1995 - 1999 Qualification: A.B. in Neurobiology Institution: Harvard College Duration: 1999 - 2001 Qualification: Rotary Ambassadorial Fellow in Medicine and Malayalam Institution: Jawaharlal Nehru University Duration: 2003 - 2004 Qualification: MS in Mechanical Engineering Institution: Stanford University Duration: 2000 - 2006 Qualification: Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) in Medicine Institution: Stanford Medical School Duration: 2006 - 2009 Qualification: Emergency Medicine Residency in Emergency Medicine Institution: Stanford-Kaiser Duration: 2009 - 2010 Qualification: Wilderness Medicine Fellowship Institution: Stanford University Duration: 2010 - 2011 Qualification: Master's Degree in Public Health Institution: The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston Duration: 2010 - 2012 Qualification: Aerospace Medicine Fellowship in Aerospace Physiology and Medicine Institution: The University of Texas

Education

Duration: 1991 - 1995 Qualification: High School Institution: Saint Paul Academy and Summit School
Duration: 1995 - 1999 Qualification: A.B. in Neurobiology Institution: Harvard College
Duration: 1999 - 2001 Qualification: Rotary Ambassadorial Fellow in Medicine and Malayalam Institution: Jawaharlal Nehru University
Duration: 2003 - 2004 Qualification: MS in Mechanical Engineering Institution: Stanford University
Duration: 2000 - 2006 Qualification: Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) in Medicine Institution: Stanford Medical School
Duration: 2006 - 2009 Qualification: Emergency Medicine Residency in Emergency Medicine Institution: Stanford-Kaiser
Duration: 2009 - 2010 Qualification: Wilderness Medicine Fellowship Institution: Stanford University
Duration: 2010 - 2011 Qualification: Master's Degree in Public Health Institution: The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston
Duration: 2010 - 2012 Qualification: Aerospace Medicine Fellowship in Aerospace Physiology and Medicine Institution: The University of Texas

Relationships & More

Marital Status	Married
Affairs/Girlfriends	Anna Menon
Marriage Date	15/10/2016
Marriage Place	St. Paul's United Methodist Church, 5501 Main St at Houston, TX 77004

Family

Father	Shunkaran Menon
Mother	Lisa Samoilenko
Spouse	Anna Menon (Lead Space Operations Engineer at Space X)
Children	He has two children

Career

Awards	Theodore Lyster Award SpaceX “Kick-Ass” Award NASA JSC Group Achievement award for Expedition 45 Medical Team U.S. Air Force Commendation Medal 173rd Fighter Wing Category V Airmen of the Year William K. Douglas Award in Aerospace Medicine (UTMB) Air Force Voluntary Service Medal Stanford Emergency Medicine Resident Award for Procedural Excellence Stanford Emergency Medicine Residency Bedside Teaching Award National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance Grant Stanford Medical Scholars Hoopes Prize for outstanding and original undergraduate thesis Summa cum laude with highest honors for undergraduate thesis John Harvard Scholar, Harvard National Scholar Harvard College Dean’s Summer Research Award Jewett Community Service Award Westinghouse Science Talent Search Finalist Rensselaer Medal for Math and Science Achievement National Science Foundation Young Scholars Grant
Career Milestones	Year: 2014 Description: Began working as a NASA flight surgeon, providing medical support for International Space Station astronauts. Year: 2021 Description: Selected as a NASA astronaut. Year: 2024 Description: Graduated with the 23rd astronaut class. Year: 2018 Description: Joined SpaceX as its first flight surgeon, helping launch the first crewed Dragon spacecraft during NASA's SpaceX Demo-2 mission and building SpaceX's medical organization. Year: 2026 Description: Launched aboard Roscosmos Soyuz MS-29 on 14/07/2026 for his first International Space Station mission as part of Expeditions 74/75.

Awards

Theodore Lyster Award
SpaceX “Kick-Ass” Award
NASA JSC Group Achievement award for Expedition 45 Medical Team
U.S. Air Force Commendation Medal
173rd Fighter Wing Category V Airmen of the Year
William K. Douglas Award in Aerospace Medicine (UTMB)
Air Force Voluntary Service Medal
Stanford Emergency Medicine Resident Award for Procedural Excellence
Stanford Emergency Medicine Residency Bedside Teaching Award
National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance Grant
Stanford Medical Scholars
Hoopes Prize for outstanding and original undergraduate thesis
Summa cum laude with highest honors for undergraduate thesis
John Harvard Scholar, Harvard National Scholar
Harvard College Dean’s Summer Research Award
Jewett Community Service Award
Westinghouse Science Talent Search Finalist
Rensselaer Medal for Math and Science Achievement
National Science Foundation Young Scholars Grant

Career Milestones

Year: 2014 Description: Began working as a NASA flight surgeon, providing medical support for International Space Station astronauts.
Year: 2021 Description: Selected as a NASA astronaut.
Year: 2024 Description: Graduated with the 23rd astronaut class.
Year: 2018 Description: Joined SpaceX as its first flight surgeon, helping launch the first crewed Dragon spacecraft during NASA's SpaceX Demo-2 mission and building SpaceX's medical organization.
Year: 2026 Description: Launched aboard Roscosmos Soyuz MS-29 on 14/07/2026 for his first International Space Station mission as part of Expeditions 74/75.

Social Media

Twitter	https://twitter.com/astro_anil
LinkedIn	https://www.linkedin.com/in/astroanil

Some Lesser Known Facts

1. Anil Menon, of Indian origin, is a lieutenant colonel in the US Airforce and SpaceX’s first flight surgeon.
2. He was selected by NASA in December 2021 to become an astronaut.
3. Born in 1975 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Anil Menon's parents are immigrants from India and Ukraine.
4. He has actively participated in disaster and humanitarian relief missions.
5. Anil Menon proposed to Anna Menon at their first meeting, and they married in 2016.
6. In the scientific field, he has authored numerous articles.
7. Born in 1976 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Anil Menon's parents are immigrants from India and Ukraine.
8. He logged over 100 sorties in F-15 fighter jets and transported over 100 patients as part of the U.S. Air Force critical care air transport team.
9. He served as a first responder in the 2010 Haiti earthquake, 2015 Nepal earthquake, and 2011 Reno Air Show accident.
10. Anil Menon, of Indian origin, is a lieutenant colonel in the US Air Force and SpaceX’s first flight surgeon.

Anil Menon NASA Astronaut American Minneapolis, Minnesota