Minneapolis astronaut headed to International Space Station

Minnesota native becomes astronaut

Minnesota native Dr. Anil Menon earned his wings Tuesday, becoming a NASA astronaut.

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - An astronaut from Minneapolis is headed to the International Space Station, NASA announced this week.

Anil Menon headed to ISS

What we know:

Dr. Anil Menon, who was born and raised in Minneapolis, is slated to make his first mission to the International Space Station next year.

What's next:

Menon will launch in June 2026 on the Roscosmos Soyuz MS-29 spacecraft with Russian cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina. Menon will serve as a flight engineer and crew member.

Menon is slated to spend about eight months at the ISS.

NASA astronaut Anil Menon poses for a portrait at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. Credit: NASA/Josh Valcarcel (NASA / Supplied)

Anil Menon's Minneapolis roots

The backstory:

Menon was born and raised in Minneapolis and became fascinated with space while attending St. Paul Academy as a child.

Last year, Menon graduated from NASA's astronaut training, which made him eligible for trips to the ISS and the moon. Speaking with FOX 9 after graduation, Menon said he is most excited about the prospect of taking part in a mission to Mars.

"Going to Mars for three years and with all the new conditions we discover, you're definitely going to need some medical help there and that means more learning and more that we can bring back to Earth," he said.