Axiom-4 Launch: Shubhanshu Shukla Set for SpaceX Mission to ISS, NASA Says Weather Favourable

Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, along with three others, is set to embark on a journey to the International Space Station. This mission, scheduled for Wednesday, has been confirmed by SpaceX, which announced that weather conditions are 90% favourable for the 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% favorable for liftoff," SpaceX stated in a post on X. The mission will lift off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Launch Details and Crew

The launch is planned for 12:01 PM IST on June 25. The crew will travel aboard a new SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, launched by the Falcon 9 rocket. Docking at the space station is expected around 4:30 PM IST on June 26.

Peggy Whitson, a former NASA astronaut and director of human spaceflight at Axiom Space, will command this commercial mission. Shubhanshu Shukla from ISRO will serve as the pilot. The mission specialists include Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from ESA and Tibor Kapu from Hungary.

Delays and Collaborations

The Axiom-4 mission faced several delays due to bad weather and technical issues with SpaceX's Falcon-9 rocket and the Russian module of the ISS. However, after discussions between NASA and Roscosmos regarding repairs in the Zvezda service module, the mission is now ready to proceed.

"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.

Scientific Endeavours

This mission marks a significant collaboration between NASA and ISRO, fulfilling a commitment made by President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to send an ISRO astronaut to the space station. The agencies are conducting five joint science investigations along with two STEM demonstrations in orbit.

Once docked, the private astronauts plan to spend approximately two weeks aboard the space station. Their activities will include scientific research, outreach programmes, and commercial tasks during their stay.