SpaceX has confirmed that the Axiom-4 mission crew is prepared for launch to the International Space Station, with the Dragon spacecraft’s hatch closed and all communication and suit checks finalized. The launch is scheduled for Wednesday, June 25, at 2:31 am EDT (Noon IST) from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The crew will travel to the ISS aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft launched by a Falcon 9 rocket, with docking expected around 7 am on Thursday, June 26. The mission includes Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla as pilot, alongside Slawosz Uznanski of Poland, a European Space Agency (ESA) project astronaut, and Tibor Kapu of Hungary. Peggy Whitson, a veteran American astronaut, will command the mission. This mission represents a historic opportunity for India, Poland, and Hungary, marking their return to human spaceflight after several decades. The Ax-4 mission will conduct approximately 60 scientific studies representing 31 countries, focused on human research, Earth observation, and life sciences in microgravity.
