AXIOM-4 MISSION: NEW ERA OF SPACE EXPLORATION

The Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), launched on June 25, 2025, marked a historic chapter in India's space journey, bringing an Indian astronaut back to space after over four decades.

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Operated by Axiom Space in collaboration with SpaceX and NASA, this mission was not just a scientific endeavor but also a diplomatic and strategic milestone. The launch took place at Kennedy Space Center, Florida, aboard the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and used the Dragon "Grace" capsule to ferry the crew to the International Space Station (ISS). The four-member crew included Commander Peggy Whitson, a veteran NASA astronaut and now Director of Human Spaceflight at Axiom; Group Captain Shubhanshu "Shux" Shukla from India, who served as the pilot; Sławosz Uzna?ski-Wi?niewski from Poland; and Tibor Kapu from Hungary. For India, the mission was especially significant as Shukla became the second Indian in space after Rakesh Sharma in 1984. Selected under the ISRO-Gaganyaan program, Shukla's participation represents India's growing ambitions in the realm of manned spaceflight. After a smooth docking with the ISS on June 26, the crew spent 18 days aboard, conducting over 60 experiments from 31 countries, including several from India. These experiments spanned various disciplines-microgravi