Baikonur, Kazakhstan: A Soyuz 2.1a rocket carrying NASA astronaut Dr. Anil Menon and two Russian cosmonauts was successfully launched on Tuesday from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
The crew is travelling to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard Russia’s Soyuz MS-29 spacecraft. The launch took place at 8:17 p.m. IST.
Joining Dr. Menon on the mission are Russian cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina. The three-member crew is scheduled to spend approximately eight months aboard the ISS, where they will conduct a range of scientific experiments, technology demonstrations, and research activities.
The mission marks another significant milestone in international space cooperation and is a proud moment for the Indian-origin and Malayali communities, as Kerala-born Dr. Anil Menon begins his first journey to space.
