Menon

Personal data: Birth date:  24.12.1985 Birthplace:  Houston, Texas Marital status:  married Children:  two Grade / Fonction:   Selection date:   Selection group:  SpaceX / NASA24 Position:   Status:  Ret.: 15.09.2024

Spaceflights:

Description:

• Private mission by SpaceX (not to the ISS).
• Anna Menon (née Wilhelm; born December 24, 1985) is an American engineer and NASA astronaut candidate, formerly employed by SpaceX as lead space operations and a mission director. She flew on Polaris Dawn, a private human spaceflight mission operated by SpaceX on behalf of Jared Isaacman. During the September 2024 mission, she served as the onboard medical officer and, along with Sarah Gillis, set the record for women traveling farthest from Earth. She was selected in September 2025 as a member of NASA Astronaut Group 24.
• Menon previously worked as a biomedical flight controller at NASA for seven years, overseeing operations at the International Space Station before joining SpaceX and returning to NASA as an astronaut.

Astronaut Career:

• NASA flight controller
  Menon worked at NASA for seven years, and for six of those years she served as a biomedical flight controller for the International Space Station, assisting ISS crews from NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, and leading biomedical operations for Expedition including ISS US EVA's 27 and 28.
• SpaceX
  Menon joined SpaceX in July 2018 as a Space Operations Engineer. She was promoted to Lead Space Operations Engineer in November 2019. In her position, she manages the development of crew operations, ensuring that procedures and protocols are in place for astronauts during their missions. She also served in the company's mission control, including during the Demo-2 flight. During Inspiration4, a private spaceflight funded by billionaire Jared Isaacman, she served as technical adviser to the family members of the all-civilian crew, explaining the complexities of spaceflight. Shortly after Isaacman returned from space, he picked Menon to be part of his Polaris Dawn mission. During the mission, Menon served as the on-board medical officer and helped carry out science experiments during the trip.
• NASA astronaut:
  Menon was selected in September 2025 as a member of NASA Astronaut Group 24. She is the first candidate selected by NASA to have flown on a private orbital spaceflight prior to joining the NASA Astronaut Corps.