NASA Unveils New Astronaut Class, Includes Veteran Space Traveler
NASA announced its newest astronaut class on September 22, 2024, introducing ten candidates who will undergo rigorous training for potential missions to commercial space stations, the Moon, and possibly Mars. Among the group is Anna Menon, who brings a wealth of experience from her recent journey to space.
Menon participated in SpaceX’s pioneering Polaris Dawn mission, which launched on September 10, 2024. This mission, led by billionaire tech entrepreneur Jared Isaacman, marked a significant milestone in space exploration. It reached a maximum altitude of 870 miles (1,400.7 kilometers), the highest for any crewed flight since the Apollo era. Notably, the mission also featured the first-ever private spacewalk, with Menon and fellow mission specialist Sarah Gillis operating outside the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, named Resilience.
During the announcement ceremony at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Menon highlighted her background in biomedical engineering, holding a master’s degree from Duke University. She emphasized her role as a biomedical flight controller, wherein she supported medical hardware and software aboard the International Space Station, ensuring the health and safety of astronauts during missions.
“My first role out of graduate school was here at NASA’s Johnson Space Center,” Menon stated. “I worked as a biomedical flight controller, and in that role, our job was to support the medical hardware and software on the International Space Station and help keep the astronauts healthy and safe from Mission Control.”
Her focus on the future of space medicine underscored the potential advancements as more individuals venture into space. Menon remarked, “As more and more people venture into space, and we seek to go further than ever before, we have this awesome opportunity to learn a tremendous amount to help support those astronauts and those people that are flying in those adventures and help keep them healthy and safe.”
Training Ahead for NASA’s New Astronaut Class
The 2025 astronaut class, the 24th in NASA’s history, includes Ben Bailey, Lauren Edgar, Adam Fuhrmann, Cameron Jones, Yuri Kubo, Rebecca Lawler, Imelda Muller, Erin Overcash, and Katherine Spies. These candidates will engage in two years of training, preparing them for a range of missions, including opportunities associated with NASA’s upcoming Artemis program, aimed at returning humans to the Moon.
As excitement builds around future space exploration, the inclusion of Menon, who has already made history, reflects NASA’s commitment to diversifying its astronaut corps and advancing the field of space medicine. The journey ahead promises to be groundbreaking, with new challenges and discoveries on the horizon.
