The much-awaited Axiom 4 launch took place in the early hours of Wednesday.
At 2:31 AM EDT, Axiom‑4, the fourth commercially organized astronaut mission to the International Space Station roared off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 5 rocket lifted off with a brand-new Crew Dragon capsule named “Grace,” taking it on its very first journey to space.
The Axiom 4 launch came after multiple hiccups and abortions due to technical glitches and weather dynamics.
This mission marks a major milestone, as India, Poland, and Hungary joined the International Space Station program for the first time.
The crew is led by veteran American astronaut Peggy Whitson, and includes Shubhanshu Shukla from India as the pilot, along with Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski from Poland and Tibor Kapu from Hungary.
Axiom 4 launch: 28-hour journey to go
After a 28-hour journey through orbit, the crew is expected to dock with the International Space Station around 7:00 AM EDT on June 26, connecting to the space-facing side of the Harmony module.
Over the next two weeks, they’ll carry out roughly 60 experiments across a wide range of fields from biology and medicine to materials science, Earth observation, and emerging technologies.
The research includes contributions from scientists and institutions in 31 different countries, highlighting the truly global nature of this mission.
Axiom-4 was originally set to launch on June 11, but a series of setbacks forced delays.
First, engineers discovered a liquid oxygen (LOX) leak during a routine engine test of the Falcon 9 rocket.
Then, unfavorable high-altitude winds added further complications. To top it off, a pressure leak in the ISS’s Russian Zvezda module raised concerns about onboard safety.
After thorough checks and necessary repairs, the team finally cleared the mission for launch, giving it the green light for liftoff on June 25.
Indians celebrate return to space
For India’s Shubhanshu Shukla, this is more than just an exciting flight to the space.
Shubhanshu Shukla is the first Indian astronaut to make it to the International Space Station, breaking a four-decade gap since Rakesh Sharma’s historic flight to space, who flew aboard Soviet’s Soyuz T‑11 mission.
A Group Captain with the Indian Air Forces, Shubhanshu Shukla has been training for months for this flight, and his participation seems a precursor to India’s own human space flight program.
Shubhanshu Shukla is among the astronauts who will join India’s maiden space flight to the International Space Station.
Axiom 4 launch more than a mission of firsts
Apart from making history, NASA’s Axiom 4 launch is expected to provide a glimpse into future space travel.
With support from SpaceX, Axiom 4 is laying the groundwork for its own commercial space station.
The space flight is part of a larger plan to shift many of NASA’s low-Earth orbit activities to private companies after the ISS retires, which is expected around 2031.
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