Goa, July 14 -- Indian-origin NASA astronaut Anil Menon lifted off aboard Russia's Soyuz MS-29 spacecraft on Tuesday, embarking on his first mission to the International Space Station (ISS). The spacecraft launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan with Roscosmos cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina for an eight-month expedition in orbit.

During the mission, Menon will lead and support several scientific experiments focused on understanding the effects of long-duration spaceflight on the human body. His research will examine how microgravity influences blood flow, vein structure and blood composition. He will also help test technology capable of producing intravenous fluids using the ISS's potable water system-an innovation t...