National: NASA and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) are set to jointly launch Axiom Mission 4, a private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, on June 10. This mission marks a significant milestone in space collaboration between the two agencies.
The Axiom Mission 4 is scheduled to lift off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 8:22 am local time on June 10. The crew will travel to the orbiting laboratory on a new SpaceX Dragon spacecraft launched on the company’s Falcon 9 rocket. Docking with the ISS is expected at approximately 12:30 pm local time on June 11.
– Mission Commander: Peggy Whitson, former NASA astronaut and director of human spaceflight at Axiom Space
– Pilot: Shubhanshu Shukla, ISRO astronaut
– Mission Specialists:
– Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski, ESA project astronaut from Poland
– Tibor Kapu, ESA project astronaut from Hungary
During their approximately two-week stay aboard the orbiting laboratory, the crew will conduct science, education, and commercial activities. The space agencies are participating in five joint science investigations and two in-orbit science, technology, engineering, and mathematics demonstrations. Shukla will participate in five joint studies planned by NASA for its human research program and conduct exclusive food and nutrition-related experiments.
This mission delivers on a commitment highlighted by US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to send the first ISRO astronaut to the station. The Axiom Mission 4 also carries the first astronauts from Poland and Hungary to stay aboard the space station, further expanding international participation in space missions.
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