The countdown has begun for the docking of Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) at the International Space Station (ISS), scheduled for 4:30 PM IST today. The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, which launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, is carrying four astronauts, including Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla of the Indian Air Force.
Alongside Shukla, the Ax-4 crew comprises Commander Peggy Whitson, a veteran astronaut, Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski, and Tibor Kapu, who are expected to dock with the Harmony module’s space-facing port.
NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers will monitor the spacecraft’s automated rendezvous and docking. After boarding, the Ax-4 crew will be welcomed by the Expedition 73 crew, participate in a safety briefing, and connect with Earth for ceremonial greetings.
This marks a historic moment for India, as Group Captain Shukla becomes the first Indian to fly to space since Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma’s iconic 1984 mission aboard Soyuz T-11.
Speaking from orbit, Shukla delivered a moving message: “Namaskar, my dear countrymen… What a ride! We are back in space after 41 years… This is not just a journey to the ISS but the beginning of India’s Human Space Programme. Jai Hind! Jai Bharat!”
The Ax-4 astronauts will spend up to 14 days aboard the ISS, conducting an ambitious slate of science, education, and commercial outreach—the most research-intensive mission ever undertaken by Axiom Space.
India’s ISRO is partnering with NASA to contribute multiple experiments, including studies on muscle regeneration, microalgae growth, aquatic organism survival, and human interaction with digital displays in microgravity.
The Ax-4 mission follows Axiom’s first private astronaut mission in April 2022, signaling the growing global momentum in commercial spaceflight and international space collaboration.
