Anna Menon established a new distance record for female astronauts during the September 2024 Polaris Dawn mission, a private spaceflight operated by SpaceX. Beyond her flight experience, she maintains a specialized background in biomedical engineering and mission control operations, transitioning from long-term oversight of the International Space Station to her official selection for NASA Astronaut Group 24 in September 2025.
Early Education and Professional Foundations
Born in Houston in 1985, Menon pursued academic training in mathematics and Spanish at Texas Christian University, graduating in 2008. She subsequently moved to Duke University, where she earned a Master of Science degree in biomedical engineering in 2010. Her early professional trajectory included roles at Texas A&M University in 2008, Wyle Laboratories in 2009 and 2010, and Duke University between 2010 and 2011.
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Menon spent seven years at NASA, dedicating six of those to serving as a biomedical flight controller for the International Space Station. Based at the Johnson Space Center, she managed biomedical operations for Expedition 41, including duties for ISS US EVA 27 and 28. In 2018, she joined SpaceX as a Space Operations Engineer, earning a promotion to Lead Space Operations Engineer in November 2019. Her responsibilities encompassed the development of crew protocols and mission control support, including the Demo-2 flight. She later acted as a technical adviser for the Inspiration4 crew.
Polaris Dawn and NASA Selection
Jared Isaacman selected Menon for the Polaris Dawn mission, where she operated as the onboard medical officer. During the flight, she conducted scientific experiments and achieved the furthest distance from Earth recorded by female astronauts alongside colleague Sarah Gillis. In September 2025, NASA selected her for Astronaut Group 24, marking her as the first candidate to join the corps after completing a private orbital spaceflight. She officially began her employment with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration in 2025.
Personal Life and Public Projects
Menon married Anil Menon, a fellow astronaut and former SpaceX medical director, on October 15, 2016, in Houston. The couple has two children. Both parents appeared in the Netflix documentary series Countdown: Inspiration4 Mission to Space in 2021. In June 2024, she published a children's book titled Kisses from Space, which features a narrative about a dragon returning from a journey to space. She integrated the book into her Polaris Dawn mission, recording a video of herself reading to her children from orbit.
Fast facts
- Born: 1985, Houston
- Citizenship: United States
- Education: Texas Christian University, Duke University
- SpaceX tenure: 2018-2025
- NASA Astronaut Group: 24 (Selected 2025)
- Notable Mission: Polaris Dawn (September 2024)
- Children's book: Kisses from Space (2024)
Questions readers ask
What is Anna Menon's educational background?
She holds a Bachelor of Science in mathematics and Spanish from Texas Christian University and a Master of Science in biomedical engineering from Duke University.
Was she an astronaut before joining NASA?
Yes, she flew on the private Polaris Dawn mission in 2024 before her official selection for NASA Astronaut Group 24 in 2025.
Achievements
- Recorded as biomedical engineer, astronaut and engineer
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