More than three months have gone by since any Americans have traveled to space, but that’s about to change.
A NASA astronaut is preparing to launch to the International Space Station with two Russian cosmonauts.
Once in Earth orbit, Anil Menon will not only be making his own first spaceflight, but will be the first American to enter space since the Artemis II mission in April. That venture captivated the world when it sent three Americans and one Canadian on a 10-day voyage circling the moon in a critical test flight ahead of future landings.
Now, Menon is about to make a much shorter voyage aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft to the iconic – albeit, aging – orbital outpost, where he and his Roscosmos crewmates are due to relieve three others.
Here’s what to know about Anil Menon, his upcoming mission to the ISS and how you can watch him launch and dock at the space laboratory.
1st American to head to space since Artemis II in April
NASA’s Anil Menon is due to become the first American to head to space since the landmark Artemis II mission came to an end April 10 with a splashdown off the coast of California.
For 10 days, the thrilling Artemis II mission commanded the world’s attention as four astronauts flew a record 252,756 miles from Earth and saw sights of the moon that no person had ever witnessed with their own eyes. It also marked the first crewed moon mission since the Apollo program ended in 1972.
Launching April 1 from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Artemis II was a critical test flight as NASA aims to begin landing humans on the lunar surface in 2028 and build a $20 billion moon base.
Who is Anil Menon? NASA astronaut prepares for ISS mission
Menon, 49, is making his first spaceflight since being selected to begin NASA astronaut training in 2021.
Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Menon is the son of Ukrainian and Indian immigrants. An actively practicing emergency medicine physician, Menon previously served as a flight surgeon for both SpaceX and NASA.
Notably, Menon’s wife, Anna Menon, was also part of NASA’s September 2025 astronaut class.
Anna Menon, though, has already been to space. In September 2024, she served as a crew member on a private astronaut mission known as Polaris Dawn, which was commanded by none other than Jared Isaacman – since appointed as NASA’s administrator.
When, where is the Soyuz launch?
Menon and his crewmates, cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina, are due for launch at 10:47 a.m. ET July 14, according to NASA. The spacefarers will be aboard the Roscosmos Soyuz MS-29 spacecraft, which will be launched to orbit from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, a spaceport that Russia’s space agency Roscosmos operates within Kazakhstan.
Ahead of the crew is eight months aboard the orbital complex performing research and station maintenance before returning in April 2027 to Earth, NASA said.
How to watch NASA coverage of launch to space station
NASA’s live coverage of the launch will begin at 9:45 a.m. ET, about an hour before liftoff. You can stream it on the agency’s free NASA+ app, as well Amazon Prime and YouTube.
Livestream coverage will continue when the spacecraft prepares to dock at the space station, and when the hatches are opened between the Soyuz and the outpost so the astronauts can exit the vehicle and step inside. If the launch goes off as scheduled, the Soyuz would dock around 1:56 p.m. ET, followed by the hatch openings around 3:55 p.m. ET, according to NASA.
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Livestream: Watch Soyuz spacecraft launch to ISS
What is the International Space Station?
The International Space Station has been stationed in low-Earth orbit for more than 25 years, typically about 260 miles high, where it has been home to astronauts from all over the world. Throughout its lifespan, the station has served as a test bed for scientific research in microgravity and has in years past opened itself up to private commercial missions.
The orbital laboratory is operated through a global partnership of space agencies, including NASA, Roscosmos, the European Space Agency, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and the Canadian Space Agency.
More than 280 spacefarers from 26 countries have visited the International Space Station, including 170 from the United States alone, according to NASA.
What astronauts are on the International Space Station?
Seven astronauts who are part of Expedition 74 are living and working aboard the International Space Station.
NASA astronaut Chris Williams and Russians Sergey Mikaev and Sergey Kud-Sverchkov, who arrived at the end of November on a Soyuz MS-28 spacecraft, will be the next ones to depart when the new astronauts arrive.
Also on board are four people who are part of a joint NASA and SpaceX mission known as Crew-12 that docked in mid-February. NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, as well as the European Space Agency’s Sophie Adenot and Russian cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev are due to depart in September following the arrival of Crew-13.
Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@usatodayco.com. Subscribe to the free Florida TODAY newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: No Americans have reached space since Artemis II. This astronaut is next
Reporting by Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Florida Today
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By Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida | USA TODAY Network
