Anna Menon ’08
Astronaut | Polaris Dawn
In 2024, astronaut Anna Menon, alongside crewmate Sarah Gillis, set the record for women who traveled farthest from Earth, an achievement that made headlines around the world. Menon also made history as the first Horned Frog in space, soaring aboard Polaris Dawn as the mission’s medical officer.
At TCU, Menon studied mathematics and Spanish, combining analytical precision with global perspective — qualities that would serve her well beyond Earth’s atmosphere. After earning a master’s degree in biomedical engineering, she started her career at NASA as a biomedical flight controller, overseeing operations at the International Space Station and mastering the complexities of human spaceflight.
In 2018, she joined SpaceX as lead space operations engineer and mission director, positioning her for the defining moment that would make her a pioneering figure in space exploration. Most recently, Menon reached another milestone, selected as one of NASA’s 2025 astronaut candidates.
Anna in Her Own Words
“TCU taught me how to embrace the challenge, think creatively, problem-solve, think outside the box and ultimately stay…persevering until I was able to get to the other side of a problem.”
—Anna Menon
More About Anna
Inside Anna Menon’s Research Aboard Polaris Dawn
Anna Menon was a key member of the Polaris Dawn team, a SpaceX group that achieved the first commercial spacewalk.
Study Mathematics
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