NASA's 2025 astronaut class includes Polaris Dawn mission specialist

Technology Sep 23, 2025

NASA just introduced its 2025 astronaut class, and Anna Menon is one of the standout picks.
She's not only flown on SpaceX's Polaris Dawn mission—which made history with the first private spacewalk and reached the highest Earth orbit since Apollo—but also brings serious science skills to the table.

Anna has a master's in biomedical engineering from Duke

Anna has a master's in biomedical engineering from Duke and used to oversee astronaut health as a flight controller at NASA.
She's all about advancing space medicine, saying it'll be key for keeping crews healthy on long trips to places like Mars.
Her selection suggests that NASA values astronauts who can do more than just fly, highlighting the need for problem-solvers in future missions.