The International Space Station (ISS) has welcomed a new crew of astronauts, marking a momentous occasion for international cooperation in space exploration. Among the new arrivals are Shubhanshu Shukla from India, Tibor Kapu from Hungary, and Sławosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland, all of whom are the first astronauts from their respective nations to visit the ISS. This mission signifies not only a personal triumph for these individuals but also a historic return to human spaceflight for their countries after decades of absence.

The Axiom 4 (Ax-4) mission, carrying these pioneering astronauts, successfully docked with the ISS on Thursday, June 26, 2025, after launching from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The Dragon capsule, named Grace, executed a fully autonomous docking sequence at the space-facing port of the Harmony module, approximately 28 hours after its launch. This mission is the fourth by Axiom Space, a company expanding private and international astronaut missions to low Earth orbit.

Shubhanshu Shukla, a Group Captain in the Indian Air Force, has become the second Indian to venture into space, following Rakesh Sharma's mission in 1984, and the first to reach the International Space Station. Trained at Russia's Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center and further prepared by ISRO and NASA, Shukla brings with him over 2,000 hours of flying experience. In a message from space, Shukla expressed his excitement and gratitude, calling the experience a "collective achievement." His presence on the ISS marks a triumphant return for India to human spaceflight and inspires a new generation to look skyward.

Tibor Kapu, a mechanical engineer from Hungary, is a mission specialist for Axiom Mission 4. Born in Nyíregyháza, Hungary, Kapu's journey from the classroom to the cosmos is a testament to his dedication and expertise. He graduated from the Budapest University of Technology and Economics with a degree in mechanical engineering and a master's degree in polymer technology. Kapu's professional journey includes contributions to the pharmaceutical and automotive industries, with a focus on space radiation protection. As part of the Hungarian to Orbit (HUNOR) program, Kapu's mission aims to conduct scientific experiments aboard the ISS, contributing to Hungary's quest for knowledge beyond our planet. He is the third Hungarian to reach space, after Bertalan Farkas in 1980 and spaceflight tourist Charles Simonyi.

Sławosz Uznanski-Wisniewski, a scientist and engineer from Poland, is a mission specialist for Axiom Mission 4. As a member of the European Space Agency's (ESA) Astronaut Reserve Class of 2022, Uznański-Wisniewski brings a wealth of expertise to the mission. He holds degrees from Łódź University of Technology, Université de Nantes, and University of Aix-Marseille, with a focus on radiation-tolerant designs for space applications. Uznański-Wisniewski has also made significant contributions at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), where he served as a reliability expert and project lead. His mission includes an ambitious technological and scientific program with experiments led by ESA and proposed by the Polish space industry, marking Poland's return to crewed spaceflight after 47 years. He is the second Polish astronaut to go to space, after Mirosław Hermaszewski in 1978.

The Ax-4 crew, led by mission commander Peggy Whitson of the United States, is scheduled to spend 14 days aboard the ISS, conducting approximately 60 scientific experiments and research projects in microgravity across various disciplines. This mission represents a significant milestone in the rise of commercial spaceflight and international participation, strengthening international spaceflight cooperation between NASA, SpaceX, ISRO and other space agencies.

The arrival of Shubhanshu Shukla, Tibor Kapu, and Sławosz Uznanski-Wisniewski at the International Space Station is a momentous occasion for India, Hungary, and Poland, marking their return to human spaceflight and inspiring future generations to pursue careers in science and technology.