Indian astronaut to pilot Axiom-4 mission to ISS
Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla is set to make history as part of Axiom Mission 4, blasting off for the International Space Station on June 25, 2025.
This marks India's first government-backed spaceflight in over 40 years—and its first time teaming up with Poland and Hungary for a mission like this.
A diverse crew for Axiom Mission 4
The crew includes Shukla, veteran NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson (the mission commander), Polish specialist Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski, and Hungarian specialist Tibor Kapu.
They'll launch from Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 2:31am EDT (11:01am IST) on June 25, aiming to dock with the ISS the next day.
Focus on human health, earth observation
During their time aboard the ISS, the team will tackle around 60 science experiments covering things like human health and Earth observation.
It's actually the biggest science program ever on an Axiom mission—a real showcase of what international teamwork can achieve in space research.