🚀 Launch Scheduled: June 25, 2:31 a.m. EDT
📍 From: NASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida
🛰️ Destination: International Space Station
🕖 Docking Target: June 26, 7:00 a.m. EDT
NASA, Axiom Space, and SpaceX are set to launch Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) — the latest in a series of pioneering private astronaut missions to the ISS. This historic launch features first-time astronauts from India (ISRO), Poland (ESA), and Hungary (HUNOR), marking a new chapter in global space diplomacy and commercial exploration.
👨🚀 Meet the Global Crew:
- Commander: Peggy Whitson, Axiom Space (USA)
- Pilot: Shubhanshu Shukla, ISRO (India)
- Mission Specialist: Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski, ESA (Poland)
- Mission Specialist: Tibor Kapu, HUNOR (Hungary)
🌐 Why This Matters for the World:
- First ISRO Astronaut at the ISS — fulfilling the Indo-U.S. promise for deeper space collaboration.
- First Polish & Hungarian Astronauts aboard ISS — expanding the global space community.
- 5 Joint Science Missions + 2 STEM Demonstrations — igniting international education and research.
- A Shared Sky Economy — NASA’s low Earth orbit strategy opens space for global entrepreneurs and governments alike.
🔍 NASA’s Role:
NASA oversees integrated operations — from orbital approach to scientific, educational, and commercial activities aboard the ISS — and ensures safe docking and departure procedures.
🔧 Safety First:
Following thorough checks on the ISS’s Zvezda service module, NASA and Roscosmos confirmed mission readiness after pressure adjustments in the transfer tunnel. Their technical cooperation underlines how even rival nations can collaborate when it comes to space and science.
📺 How to Watch:
- June 25
- 12:30 a.m. EDT: Axiom Space & SpaceX begin live coverage
- 1:40 a.m. EDT: NASA joins on NASA+
- 2:31 a.m. EDT: Lift-off
- June 26
- 5:00 a.m. EDT: Arrival coverage begins
- 7:00 a.m. EDT: Docking at ISS Harmony module
👉 Note: Coverage ends post-orbital insertion (approx. 15 mins post-launch). Follow NASA blogs and Axiom Space updates for real-time information.
🌌 The Bigger Picture:
As NASA prepares for Moon and Mars through Artemis, the International Space Station is being positioned as a launchpad for commercial space economies. The future? NASA will be one of many customers buying services in orbit — and international partnerships like this one are setting the stage.
