Watch: Russia successfully launches Indian-origin Nasa astronaut Anil Menon to space
NASA astronaut Anil Menon has launched aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft to the International Space Station for an eight-month research mission. The mission highlights continued US-Russia space cooperation despite ongoing geopolitical tensions.
Why it matters
It demonstrates the resilience of international scientific collaboration in space exploration despite significant terrestrial political conflicts.
Nasa on Tuesday launched astronaut Anil Menon, an Indian-American to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard Russia's Soyuz MS-29 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The mission marks Menon's first journey into space and he is expected to spend around eight months aboard the orbiting laboratory conducting scientific research as part of Expeditions 74 and 75.Menon lifted off alongside Roscosmos cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina. The Soyuz spacecraft is expected to dock with the ISS around three hours after launch, where the trio will join the Expedition 74 and Expedition 75 crews.Ahead of the launch, Menon shared his excitement in a post on X."Excited to launch aboard Soyuz MS-29 from Kazakhstan and begin an eight-month mission supporting NASA and Expedition 74/75.
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