NASA astronaut Anil Menon says he looks forward to spotting Kerala from space
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Photo: NASA
Thiruvananthapuram: NASA astronaut Col Anil Menon, who is set to become the first person of Kerala origin to travel to space, said he is looking forward to seeing the state's coastline, backwaters and greenery from the International Space Station (ISS) during his upcoming mission.
Menon, 49, is scheduled to launch on July 14 aboard the Roscosmos Soyuz MS-29 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for an eight-month mission to the ISS. He will be accompanied by Russian cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina.
Ahead of the launch, Menon said the crew was fully prepared for the mission and described the excitement of being so close to liftoff as difficult to express. He noted that while training equips astronauts for the technical aspects of the mission, it does not fully prepare them for the emotions surrounding the launch, The New Indian Express reported.
He said the mission would involve more than eight months of scientific research aboard the ISS, with experiments designed to benefit people on Earth and support future space exploration.
Reflecting on his Kerala roots, Menon said the journey held personal significance because his father emigrated from India to the United States. His father hails from Ottapalam in Palakkad district, while his mother is from Ukraine.
Menon also expressed confidence that Group Captain Prasanth Nair would become the next Malayali astronaut. He said he was proud to be the first person of Kerala origin to travel to space but believed he would not be the last, adding that Kerala would continue to be represented in space missions.
He thanked people in India, particularly those in Kerala, for their support and said he would carry their good wishes with him during the mission.
Speaking about his family's legacy, Menon said he was a descendant of eminent jurist C. Sankaran Nair and took pride in his contributions to India. He added that he hoped to honour that legacy through his own work. Menon also remembered his great-uncle, Lt Gen K. P. Candeth, saying they had often discussed his dream of travelling to space and that he would think of him on launch day.
Addressing young people in Kerala, Menon encouraged them to remain curious, work hard and care for one another, saying opportunities were open to those willing to pursue them.
A flight surgeon with the US Space Force, Menon was selected by NASA for its astronaut programme in 2021. His mission aboard the ISS is expected to last around eight months.