SpaceX Axiom 4 Mission: Four nations, one mission – all about the diverse crew
The Axiom-4 mission, a SpaceX endeavor and a fully commercial human spaceflight, is all set to carry a diverse crew of four astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS). The venture known as Axiom Mission 4, which was due to get off the ground on the morning of Tuesday, June 10,
NASA
announced that the mission's launch from Florida's Space Coast in Cape Canaveral would be delayed yet again to wait out some bad weather.
Now, the launch could happen as early as 8 am ET on Wednesday, June 11, from NASA's historic Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center.
The Ax-4 crew, representing the United States, India, Poland, and Hungary, is due to ride a brand-new SpaceX Dragon spacecraft to orbit, which will get off the ground with the assistance of the company's two-stage Falcon 9 rocket. The mission aims to conduct microgravity experiments, promote international collaboration in space exploration, and demonstrate the feasibility of commercial space stations.
Here's all you need to know about the mission and the diverse crew.
Mission objectives and significance
The Ax-4 mission aims to conduct scientific research and technology demonstrations aboard the ISS. The crew is expected to spend up to 14 days conducting about 60 scientific experiments in microgravity, contributing to advancements in various scientific fields. This mission not only furthers scientific knowledge but also fosters international collaboration in space exploration.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Guayaquil: Calcule cuánto podría ganar invirtiendo en Amazon CFD
Empezar ahora
Subscríbete
Undo
This mission, operated by Axiom Space in partnership with SpaceX and NASA, is notable for its diverse crew representing India, Poland, Hungary, and the United States. Each of these nations is participating in a government-sponsored human spaceflight for the first time in over four decades.
The crew: A blend of expertise and national pride
Peggy Whitson
(USA) – Mission commander
Peggy Whitson, a veteran NASA astronaut, commands the Ax-4 mission. With a record of 675 days in space, she holds the US record for the most cumulative time spent in space.
Her leadership in this mission underscores her extensive experience and commitment to advancing human spaceflight.
Shubhanshu Shukla
(India) – Mission pilot
Group Captain Shubhanshu 'Shuks' Shukla of the Indian Air Force serves as the mission pilot. Born in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, Shukla has over 2,000 flying hours across various aircraft, including the MiG-29 and Su-30 MKI. He is set to become the second Indian to travel to space, following
Rakesh Sharma
's 1984 mission.
This flight marks a significant achievement for India's space endeavors and highlights the country's emerging presence in international space missions.
Sławosz Uznański (Poland) – Mission specialist
Sławosz Uznański, a European Space Agency (ESA) project astronaut from Poland, is assigned as a mission specialist. Selected from over 22,500 applicants, Uznański represents Poland's first astronaut since 1978. His participation underscores Poland's growing involvement in space exploration and its collaboration with international space agencies.
Tibor Kapu (Hungary) – Mission specialist
Tibor Kapu, a mechanical engineer, is Hungary's second astronaut to fly to space. Selected through the Hungarian to Orbit (HUNOR) program, Kapu's mission is supported by the Hungarian Space Office and Axiom Space. His participation highlights Hungary's commitment to advancing its space program and contributing to international space research.
Training and preparation
In preparation for the mission, the crew underwent rigorous training at various international space agencies.
They completed comprehensive training at ESA's European Astronaut Centre in Cologne, Germany, covering communications systems, emergency response procedures, and conducting research activities inside the Columbus module. Additionally, the crew trained at JAXA's Tsukuba Space Center in Japan, focusing on the operation of the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM), known as Kibō.
Launch and mission timeline
Axiom Space had originally been working toward a May 29 launch before takeoff was first pushed to June 8 as part of adjustments to the space station's schedule. The launch was delayed Monday, June 9, for the third time as mission operators continue to plan around inclement weather forecasted along the Dragon's flight path. The launch was then bumped again to June 10 before NASA announced it would be delayed for another 24 hours.
Now, finally, the launch is set to happen as early as 8 am ET on Wednesday, June 11, from NASA's historic Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center.
Shubhanshu Shukla, India's First Astronaut to the ISS, Talk About Axiom-4 Mission, ISRO, Gaganyaan
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India Today
10 minutes ago
- India Today
US, Russian space chiefs meet to discuss continued cooperation
Russia's space chief has visited the United States to discuss plans for continued cooperation between Moscow and Washington on the International Space Station and lunar research with NASA's acting chief, the first such face-to-face meeting in more than seven Bakanov, the director of the state space corporation Roscosmos, met Thursday with NASA's new acting administrator, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, on a visit to attend the planned launch of a US-Japanese-Russian crew to the space station. The launch was delayed by weather until Friday, when it blasted off said Bakanov and Duffy discussed "further work on the International Space Station, cooperation on lunar programs, joint exploration of deep space and continued cooperation on other space projects.' Once bitter rivals in the space race during the Cold War, Roscosmos and NASA cooperated on the space station and other projects. That relationship was beset with tensions after Moscow sent troops into Ukraine in 2022, but Washington and Moscow have continued to work together, with US and Russian crews continuing to fly to the orbiting outpost on each country's for broader cooperation, including possible Russian involvement in NASA's Artemis program of lunar research, have fallen Russia has become increasingly reliant on China for its energy exports and imports of key technology amid Western sanctions, Roscosmos has started cooperation with China on its prospective lunar to Russian reporters after the talks with Duffy, Bakanov said that they agreed to keep working on keeping the space station in operation to the end of the decade.'Our experts will now start working on those issues in details,' Bakanov said, praising Duffy for giving a green light for those contacts 'despite geopolitical tensions.'The Russian space chief added that he and Duffy will report the results of the meeting to Russian President Vladimir Putin and President Donald Trump to secure their blessing for potential space cooperation.'In view of the difficult geopolitical situation, we will need to receive the necessary clearance from the leaders of our countries,' Bakanov added he invited Duffy to visit Moscow and the Russia-leased Baikonur launch facility in Kazakhstan for the launch of another Russia-US crew to the space station scheduled for November.'I will put my efforts into keeping the channel of cooperation between Russia and the US open, and I expect NASA to do the same,' Bakanov said.- EndsMust Watch
Time of India
24 minutes ago
- Time of India
Indian teens excel at Global Linguistics Olympiad with gold, bronze & rare feat
Hyderabad: A love for decoding rare languages and decrypting clues has helped a team of four young boys, guided by a professor from the International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad (IIITH), bag a gold and a bronze medal at the 22nd International Linguistics Olympiad (IOL) held in Taiwan. The team comprised 15-year-old Vaageesan Surendran from Chennai, 12-year-old Advay Misra from New Delhi, 18-year-old Nandagovind Anurag from Bengaluru, and 15-year-old Siriparupu Bhuvan from Hyderabad. They also received two individual honourable mentions and one for the entire team. Parameswari Krishnamurthy, a professor at IIIT-Hyderabad, led the team, while Anshul Krishnadas Bhagwat, an undergraduate researcher at the institute, accompanied them as an observer. You Can Also Check: Hyderabad AQI | Weather in Hyderabad | Bank Holidays in Hyderabad | Public Holidays in Hyderabad Vaageesan clinched the gold medal, Misra won bronze, and Anurag and Bhuvan earned honourable mentions. "I found the IOL's challenge fascinating. Some problems were easy, others were hard, but all of them were interesting and captivating," said Vaageesan, who is fluent in English, Mandarin, Spanish, and Hindi, in addition to his mother tongue, Tamil. Impressively, he can read the scripts of 34 different languages. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 20 Pieces of Clothing you Can be Too Old for Learn More Undo This year's edition saw 227 contestants from 57 teams representing 42 countries and territories. It was a historic moment for India, as all four team members secured awards— a first since the country began participating in the IOL in 2009. The journey to IOL starts with the Panini Linguistics Olympiad (PLO), the national qualifier in India. Open to middle and high school students, the PLO has two rounds. The first round is held in multiple cities, and top scorers move on to the Asia Pacific Linguistics Olympiad (APLO) and a linguistics camp hosted by IIITH in Hyderabad, where they are trained in problem-solving techniques. "For the last few years, IIITH has played a major role in mentoring India's IOL team," said Krishnamurthy, who also serves as the Organising Chair of the PLO Board and oversees the 10-day camp. The International Linguistics Olympiad, one of 13 International Science Olympiads, brings together secondary school students and linguistics experts. Participants are challenged to analyse grammar, structure, and the cultural history of languages, and to demonstrate their skills through complex puzzles and analytical tasks.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Develop indigenous material to slash imports: Isro chief
T'puram: Isro chairman V Narayanan urged Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) community to develop materials and minerals indigenously to cut down on imports. CSIR has 37 labs across the country, many of which have played a crucial role in the country's space programme. Speaking at CSIR-NIIST golden jubilee conclave series on 'New Vistas in Critical Minerals and Materials' in the city on Friday, Narayanan said that indigenisation of materials and minerals is important as it would help reduce the cost incurred in imports at a time when Isro is going ahead with a variety of space programmes. "The CSIR labs should sit together and create a roadmap to indigenise materials and to bring down the import content in materials and minerals to almost zero in the next 10 years. It is possible because of our education system and committed people," Narayanan said. He further said that the role of material scientists was crucial because composite materials and alloys were needed for specific requirements, including the need to withstand heat. "Our experience with developing cryogenic systems showed that import of high conductivity copper from abroad increased the cost by 15 times. The cost will come down if we develop materials indigenously," he added. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo He said that there are several non-metallic materials also in rockets, like adhesives, insulation systems, forging and casting, and other high-energy materials. "In solid propulsion, initially we used high stainless steel as motor casing. We later moved to maraging steel (a high-strength low carbon alloy). This shows that the role of composite products is high," Narayanan said. He detailed the progress made in the design and development of launchers, propulsion systems, satellites, technology to place multiple satellites in orbit without them colliding with one another, finding water on the Moon and future missions. He said that the research and discussion in new vistas in materials development in terms of metallic, composite, thermal and protective system materials is crucial. Narayanan said, "We are developing a semi-cryogenic engine which will be a 200-tonne engine that will require some 35 high nickel alloys. So, material manufacturing is an integral part of everything from satellites to automotive to aviation." India has several minerals which can be harnessed instead of depending on imports, he said.
