Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), carrying Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla and three other crew members, is scheduled to launch to the International Space Station (ISS) today, June 25, 2025. After several postponements due to weather conditions, a leak on SpaceX's Falcon-9 rocket, and issues with a Russian module of the ISS, liftoff is targeted for 2:31 a.m. EDT (0631 GMT), or 12:01 PM IST, from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. SpaceX has reported a 90% favorable weather forecast for the launch.
The Ax-4 mission will use a new SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, launched via a Falcon 9 rocket. Docking with the ISS is expected at approximately 7:00 a.m. EDT (1100 GMT), or 4:30 pm IST, on June 26. The mission is expected to last two weeks.
The Ax-4 crew comprises commander Peggy Whitson, pilot Shubhanshu Shukla, and mission specialists Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski and Tibor Kapu. Peggy Whitson, a former NASA astronaut and Axiom Space's director of human spaceflight, brings a wealth of experience to the mission. Shubhanshu Shukla, an ISRO astronaut, will be the second Indian to travel to space since Rakesh Sharma in 1984. Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski, an ESA project astronaut, will be the second Polish astronaut since 1978, and Tibor Kapu will be the second Hungarian astronaut since 1980. This mission marks the first time that India, Poland, and Hungary will simultaneously have astronauts on the ISS.
During their 14 days on the orbiting laboratory, the Ax-4 crew will conduct over 60 scientific experiments and STEM outreach events. These experiments cover human research, Earth observation, and life, biological, and material sciences, involving researchers from 31 countries. Seven Indian science studies designed by academics and scientists from across the country will also be carried out. The mission will support Axiom Space's broader goal of developing a new space station.
This mission is a collaboration between NASA, Axiom Space, and SpaceX. It fulfills a commitment between President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to send the first ISRO astronaut to the ISS. NASA and ISRO are conducting five joint scientific investigations and two in-orbit STEM demonstrations as part of their collaboration.
The launch and arrival activities will be streamed live on NASA+ and the SpaceX website, with webcasts beginning two hours before liftoff. NASA will end its coverage approximately 15 minutes after launch, following orbital insertion. The docking event will also be livestreamed starting at around 2:30 PM IST on June 26.
