Empire State Review Contributor 
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL — June 26, 2025 — In a landmark event for international space collaboration, NASA, Axiom Space, and SpaceX successfully launched the Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), marking the fourth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station (ISS). The mission lifted off aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 2:31 a.m. EDT on June 25.
The Ax-4 crew comprises Commander Peggy Whitson, a veteran astronaut with a record 675 days in space; Pilot Shubhanshu Shukla of the Indian Air Force; and Mission Specialists Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski from Poland and Tibor Kapu from Hungary. This mission marks the first time astronauts from India, Poland, and Hungary have visited the ISS, and it represents a significant step in expanding global participation in space exploration.
After a 28-hour journey, the Crew Dragon spacecraft, named “Grace,” docked with the ISS at 6:31 a.m. EDT on June 26. The hatch opened at 8:14 a.m. EDT, and the Ax-4 crew was welcomed aboard by the Expedition 73 team. Commander Whitson was greeted with high praise, and the new astronauts received a warm welcome, highlighting the camaraderie and collaborative spirit aboard the ISS.
During their 14-day stay, the Ax-4 crew will conduct over 60 scientific experiments across various disciplines, including microgravity biology, health sciences, artificial intelligence, and materials research. These experiments, representing 31 countries, aim to advance our understanding of space and support future missions, including the development of private space stations and long-duration human spaceflight.
For India, Shubhanshu Shukla’s participation is particularly significant, as he becomes the first Indian astronaut to visit the ISS and the second Indian citizen to travel to space since Rakesh Sharma’s mission in 1984. Shukla’s role in Ax-4 is expected to provide valuable insights for India’s upcoming Gaganyaan mission, slated for 2026-27, and to inspire a new generation of scientists and engineers.
The Ax-4 mission underscores the growing role of private companies in space exploration and the increasing international collaboration in this field. As NASA plans to retire the ISS by 2030, missions like Ax-4 are paving the way for a sustainable low Earth orbit economy and the future of commercial spaceflight.
