Florida [US], June 25 (ANI): SpaceX has confirmed that preparations for the launch of Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) to the International Space Station (ISS) are proceeding smoothly, with all systems “looking good” ahead of liftoff. The mission, jointly undertaken by NASA, Axiom Space, and SpaceX, is scheduled to launch at 2:31 am EDT (Noon IST) on Wednesday from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
In a post on X, SpaceX noted that weather conditions are 90 percent favorable for launch. “All systems are looking good for Wednesday’s launch of Axiom Space’s Ax-4 mission to the International Space Station, and weather is 90 percent favourable for liftoff,” the company stated.
The Ax-4 mission holds special significance for India as Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla of the Indian Air Force will pilot the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, marking a historic milestone in India’s human spaceflight journey. Group Captain Shukla is set to become the second Indian in space after Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma, who flew aboard Soyuz T-11 on April 3, 1984, as part of the Soviet Interkosmos programme.
More importantly, Shukla will become the first Indian astronaut to visit the ISS, making this mission a landmark event for India’s space ambitions. The Ax-4 crew consists of four members: mission commander Peggy Whitson, a veteran NASA astronaut and Axiom Space’s Director of Human Spaceflight; pilot Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla from India; and mission specialists Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland and Tibor Kapu from Hungary.
The Ax-4 mission will mark the return to human spaceflight for India, Poland, and Hungary, each executing their first government-sponsored space mission in over 40 years. It also marks the first time that astronauts from these three countries will participate in a mission to the International Space Station.
For India and ISRO, Ax-4 is a critical step in its long-term space strategy. The mission is expected to bolster India’s readiness for the Gaganyaan project—India’s first human spaceflight mission—scheduled for launch in the first quarter of 2027. The mission also supports India’s broader vision of landing a citizen on the Moon by 2040. (ANI)
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