Axiom Mission 4: India’s ISRO Joins Historic International Spaceflight

In a landmark step for global space exploration, Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) successfully launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre at 2:31 am Eastern Time (12 Noon IST) aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. Marking the fourth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station (ISS), this mission stands out for its diverse, science-heavy agenda and a significant milestone for India’s space ambitions.

Commanded by veteran NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, the crew includes Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), serving as the mission’s pilot—a proud moment marking India’s growing presence in international space missions. Joining them are Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary, both flying as mission specialists under European initiatives.

The team is set to dock with the ISS at around 7 am ET (4 pm IST) on June 26, beginning a 14-day mission focused on science, outreach, and commercial experiments. Notably, this mission uses the next-generation AxEMU spacesuits, developed by Axiom for NASA’s Artemis program, which are engineered for versatility and durability in lunar and orbital environments.

What makes Ax-4 extraordinary is the depth and global scope of its science: the astronauts will engage in nearly 60 research projects representing 31 countries, making it the most research-intensive Axiom mission to date. Studies will focus on muscle regeneration, edible microalgae cultivation, aquatic micro-organism survival, and even human-computer interaction in microgravity.

NASA and ISRO are collaborating on several of these groundbreaking investigations, solidifying India’s role as a key space science partner on the international stage.

This mission follows a growing legacy: from Axiom-1 in 2022 to Axiom-3 in 2024, these private missions are expanding humanity’s ability to live and work in space. Ax-4 not only furthers that mission but also showcases India’s active participation in global space innovation—an inspiring leap for the country and a milestone for human spaceflight.