New Delhi: NASA and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will jointly launch the Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) to the International Space Station (ISS) on June 10. The mission includes Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla as the pilot, in a first for India’s space collaboration with NASA on a crewed mission.
The launch is scheduled for 8:22 AM local time from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The crew will travel aboard SpaceX’s new Dragon spacecraft, lifted by a Falcon 9 rocket, with docking at the ISS expected at 12:30 PM on June 11.
Milestone in NASA-ISRO Space Partnership
This mission is a result of growing strategic cooperation in space between the United States and India. It follows earlier commitments made during high-level diplomatic meetings to deepen science and technology collaboration.
Axiom Mission 4 is the fourth private astronaut mission by Axiom Space, but the first to include an ISRO astronaut. The flight represents a shift from national space agency-led crewed missions to broader, multi-national participation via commercial partnerships.
Mission Objectives
According to NASA, the crew will carry out five joint scientific investigations and two STEM education demonstrations while aboard the ISS. The specific focus of the research has not been disclosed but will reportedly involve earth observation, material science, and biomedical studies.
Crew Details
Commander: Peggy Whitson, former NASA astronaut and current Director of Human Spaceflight at Axiom Space
Pilot: Shubhanshu Shukla (India, ISRO)
Mission Specialists: Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski (Poland, ESA) and Tibor Kapu (Hungary)
For Poland and Hungary, this mission will also mark their first long-duration astronaut presence on the ISS. The multinational composition reflects the growing interest in international space access through commercial platforms.
Also Read: DRDO Transfers Key Weapon, Vehicle Technologies to PSUs and Private Players
Discussion about this post