Indian-origin astronaut Anil Menon launched into space :::: he is on a 8-month mission

 Indian-origin astronaut Anil Menon launched into space, begins 8-month mission

His stay in microgravity is expected to generate valuable data on how extended spaceflight affects the human body, knowledge that will be crucial as Nasa and its international partners prepare for missions to the Moon and Mars.

Nasa astronaut Anil Menon launched on an eight-month International Space Station mission to carry out medical and technology experiments.

                                             A Roscosmos Soyuz spacecraft launches for an expedition

Nasa astronaut Anil Menon embarked on an eight-month mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS) tonight, where he will conduct a series of cutting-edge scientific experiments aimed at preparing humanity for future deep-space exploration while advancing technologies that could benefit life on Earth.

The Indian-origin American astronaut launched with two other Russian cosmonauts aboard a Soyuz spacecraft from Baikonur cosmodrome.

A physician specialising in emergency medicine and aerospace medicine, Menon will serve not only as a researcher but also as a test subject during the long-duration mission.  

One of the mission's key investigations will involve AI-assisted ultrasound scanning, a technology designed to help astronauts perform complex medical examinations in space with limited support from doctors on Earth.

The system could eventually become an essential tool for diagnosing medical conditions during deep-space missions where communication delays make real-time guidance impossible.  

Menon will also participate in experiments aimed at manufacturing high-quality semiconductors in microgravity. 

Scientists believe the weightless environment of space could enable the production of more uniform and defect-free semiconductor materials, paving the way for next-generation components used in high-performance computers, advanced electronics and communications systems on Earth.