Anna Menon is an American engineer who, at the time of this recording in May 2023, was scheduled to fly on Polaris Dawn. Anna worked for NASA for seven years before joining SpaceX, where she works as a lead engineer of space operations.
In this episode, Ben and Anna discuss the significance of Polaris Dawn, preparing mentally for a mission and SpaceX's vision for humanity in space. It completes a set of interviews with each crew member of Polaris Dawn.
What you will hear in this episode
The intensity of training
Finding out about selection, and a memorable day
Becoming an astronaut and what surprised her
How her interest in space began
The role of medical officer
The world's first commercial EVA
The team behind the mission
What to bring to space, and when
The significance of Polaris Dawn
Preparing mentally for the mission
A typical day on Polaris Dawn
SpaceX's vision
Advice to young people
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