India’s Shubhanshu Shukla Set For 25 June Launch To International Space Station On Axiom-4 Mission: NASA

NASA has confirmed that the Axiom-4 mission, which will carry Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla and three international crewmates to the International Space Station (ISS), is now targeting a launch on Wednesday (25 June).

The spacecraft will lift off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.

Originally scheduled for early June, the mission faced multiple delays due to technical issues with the rocket and a leak discovered aboard the ISS. Unfavourable weather also contributed to the postponement.

In a statement released Tuesday, NASA said: “The mission will lift off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The crew will travel to the orbiting laboratory on a new SpaceX Dragon spacecraft after launching on the company’s Falcon 9 rocket. The targeted docking time (with the International Space Station) is approximately 7 am Thursday, 26 June (4.30 pm in India).”

The mission is operated by Axiom Space, a US-based private space firm, in collaboration with NASA and SpaceX. It is part of NASA’s broader push to involve private companies in space exploration and ISS operations.

The Axiom-4 crew comprises mission commander Peggy Whitson, a former NASA astronaut and now director of human spaceflight at Axiom Space; Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, who will serve as the mission’s pilot; and two mission specialists, Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski from Poland and Tibor Kapu from Hungary.

Over the two-week stay on the ISS, the Axiom-4 crew will conduct over 60 science experiments and outreach activities, adding a significant scientific dimension to this international mission.

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