Indian Astronaut’s Axiom-4 Mission Set for June 25 Launch, NASA Confirms

NASA has announced that the Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) to the International Space Station (ISS) is now scheduled for launch on June 25, following multiple delays. The mission, which includes Indian Air Force pilot Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla as the mission pilot, marks a significant milestone for India’s space program. Shukla, representing the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), will become the second Indian astronaut to travel to space, following Rakesh Sharma’s historic 1984 mission.

The Ax-4 mission, a collaboration between NASA, Axiom Space, and SpaceX, will see Shukla joined by astronauts from Poland and Hungary. The crew, led by former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, who now serves as Axiom Space’s director of human spaceflight, includes mission specialists Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski from Poland and Tibor Kapu from Hungary, both representing the European Space Agency (ESA). The launch, set to take place at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, will utilize SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft, which are reported to be in optimal condition at Launch Complex 39A.

Previous attempts to launch the mission were postponed due to a series of technical challenges, including issues with the Falcon 9 rocket, adverse weather conditions, and safety concerns related to the ISS’s Zvezda service module. NASA confirmed on Tuesday that these issues have been resolved, clearing the way for the June 25 launch at 2:31 a.m. EDT (12:01 p.m. IST). The crew is expected to dock with the ISS around 7 a.m. EDT (4:30 p.m. IST) on June 26, where they will spend up to 14 days conducting scientific experiments and outreach activities.

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This mission underscores the growing international collaboration in space exploration and marks a proud moment for India, Poland, and Hungary, as each nation sends astronauts to the ISS after decades.