Exciting Axiom-4 Launch: Meet India’s Shubhanshu Shukla
The Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) is all set to begin its journey to the International Space Station. This mission includes ISRO astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla and three other crew members. SpaceX predicts a 90% chance of good weather for the launch.
“All systems are looking good for Wednesday’s launch of @Axiom_Space’s Ax-4 mission to the @Space_Station and weather is 90% favorable for liftoff,” SpaceX announced.
Launch Details: When and Where
NASA, Axiom Space, and SpaceX have planned the fourth private astronaut mission, Axiom Mission 4, to the International Space Station. The launch is scheduled for June 25 at 12:01 PM (IST).
- Launch Site: Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
- Spacecraft: A new SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, launched via the company’s Falcon 9 rocket.
- Docking Time: Approximately 4:30 PM IST on June 26.
This launch comes after talks between NASA and Roscosmos officials. They discussed recent repair work in the transfer tunnel of the orbital laboratory’s Zvezda service module. Safety is a top priority for both agencies.
“NASA and Roscosmos have a long history of cooperation on the International Space Station. This working relationship has helped us agree on a technical approach. Now, Axiom Mission 4 launch and docking will proceed,” said acting NASA Administrator Janet Petro.
Meet the Crew
The Axiom-4 mission has a diverse crew:
- Peggy Whitson: Former NASA astronaut and Axiom Space’s director of human spaceflight. She leads the mission.
- Shubhanshu Shukla: ISRO astronaut serving as the pilot.
- Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski: ESA project astronaut from Poland. He is a mission specialist.
- Tibor Kapu: HUNOR astronaut from Hungary. He is also a mission specialist.
The mission faced several delays. These were due to bad weather, leaks on SpaceX’s Falcon-9 rocket, and issues with the Russian module of the International Space Station.
This mission fulfills a promise made between President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The goal was to send the first ISRO astronaut to the station. This is part of NASA and ISRO’s collaboration. The space organizations are conducting five joint scientific investigations and two in-orbit STEM demonstrations.
The private astronauts plan to spend about two weeks on the space station. They will conduct scientific research, outreach programs, and commercial activities.
How to Watch the Launch
You can follow the launch and docking events on the TimesofIndia.com website. You can also watch it on NASA+, Axiom Space, and SpaceX channels. The docking event will be livestreamed starting at around 2:30 PM IST on June 26.
