Axiom Space’s Ax-4 mission to the International Space Station (ISS) has been delayed to June 8, 2025, due to ISS schedule adjustments. The mission, initially set for May 29, will launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, carrying four astronauts aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft on a Falcon 9 rocket.
Crew Details
- Commander: Peggy Whitson, Axiom Space’s director of human spaceflight and a former NASA astronaut with a record 665 days in space.
- Pilot: Shubhanshu Shukla of the Indian Air Force, marking India’s first astronaut presence on the ISS.
- Mission Specialists:
- Sławosz Uznański of Poland, the first Polish astronaut to reach space in over 40 years.
- Tibor Kapu of Hungary, also a first for his nation.
Mission Objectives
The Ax-4 crew will conduct nearly 60 science investigations during their two-week stay on the ISS, representing 31 countries. The research will focus on various topics, including:
- Microgravity: Studying the effects of microgravity on biological processes and developing new technologies.
- Space Agriculture: Investigating the potential of growing crops in space.
- Muscle Regeneration: Exploring ways to prevent muscle atrophy in astronauts during long-duration space missions.
Significance
The Ax-4 mission is a significant step in Axiom Space’s pursuit of establishing a commercial space economy. The company aims to build its own orbital station by the late 2020s, and these missions serve as stepping stones towards achieving this goal.
