After several delays, Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla is set to travel to the International Space Station (ISS) on Wednesday as part of Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), a joint private spaceflight mission backed by NASA, SpaceX, and Axiom Space.
SpaceX confirmed that the weather outlook was highly favourable for launch. “All systems are looking good for Wednesday’s launch of @Axiom_Space’s Ax-4 mission to the @Space_Station and weather is 90 per cent favorable for liftoff,” the company said in a post on X.
Liftoff scheduled from Kennedy Space Center
NASA announced that the launch is targeted for 12.01 PM IST on Wednesday, 25 June. The mission will lift off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, with docking scheduled for around 4.30 PM IST on Thursday, 26 June.
The four-member crew will travel aboard a new SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, launched by a Falcon 9 rocket.
ISRO’s Shukla to serve as mission pilot
Former NASA astronaut and Axiom Space’s director of human spaceflight, Peggy Whitson, will command the mission. Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla will serve as the pilot.
Two other international astronauts will join them as mission specialists: Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from the European Space Agency (ESA), and Tibor Kapu from Hungary, part of the HUNOR programme (Hungarian to Orbit).
Mission delayed by weather and technical issues
Axiom Mission 4 faced multiple setbacks prior to this launch window. Earlier delays were attributed to unfavourable weather, followed by issues identified with SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket and later, a leak detected in the Russian segment of the ISS.
The current launch opportunity was confirmed after NASA and Roscosmos reviewed repair works at the aft section of the station’s Zvezda service module.
NASA, Roscosmos reach shared technical solution
“NASA and Roscosmos have a long history of cooperation and collaboration on the International Space Station. This professional working relationship has allowed the agencies to arrive at a shared technical approach and now Axiom Mission 4 launch and docking will proceed,” said acting NASA Administrator Janet Petro.
Once on board, the crew will spend around two weeks aboard the orbiting laboratory, conducting a combination of scientific experiments, educational outreach, and commercial activities.
A milestone in US-India space cooperation
According to NASA, Axiom Mission 4 marks a significant milestone in US-India space relations. “As part of a collaboration between NASA and ISRO, Axiom Mission 4 delivers on a commitment highlighted by President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to send the first ISRO astronaut to the station,” the agency said.The mission also includes five joint science investigations and two in-orbit STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) demonstrations.
