As NASA astronaut Dr Anil Menon prepares to launch to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard Russia’s Soyuz MS-29 spacecraft on July 15, Kerala’s Palakkad district is drawing attention for its connection to three astronauts involved in major space missions.
Dr Anil Menon, who is set to undertake his maiden spaceflight as part of Expedition 75 to the ISS, will be joined by Anna Menon, a private astronaut who flew on the historic Polaris Dawn mission, widely recognised for advancing commercial human spaceflight.
Completing the trio is Air Commodore Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair, one of India’s four Gaganyaan astronaut-designates. Nair was associated with preparations for the Axiom-4 mission and remains one of India’s leading astronauts, preparing for its first human spaceflight programme.
The unique connection has become a source of pride for Kerala, due to Palakkad’s unexpected contribution to global space exploration. The state holds a special place in India’s space history as the birthplace of ISRO’s space programme at Thumba, near Thiruvananthapuram, where the country’s first launch took place in 1963.
With one district linked to a NASA astronaut heading to the ISS, a commercial space pioneer, and India’s future Gaganyaan crew members, Palakkad has earned a rare place on the global space map.
