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Pic Credit: NASA Shubhanshu Shukla's Axiom-4 Mission Launch Live Updates: The Ax-4 Crew has begun their journey to the ISS successfully. Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla and crew lift off into space today, June 25, as part of the highly anticipated Axiom Space Mission 4. The historic launch was a sight to behold and marks India’s major leap in human spaceflight efforts.
The crew took off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, aboard SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, launched by the Falcon 9 rocket. This is a joint mission led by NASA, Axiom Space, SpaceX, ISRO, and the European Space Agency (ESA).
Shukla, representing ISRO and the Indian Air Force, is serving as the mission’s pilot, making him the second Indian in space after Rakesh Sharma’s landmark journey in 1984. He is accompanied by mission commander and former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, and specialists from Poland and Hungary, Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski and Tibor Kapu.
The Axiom-4 mission, also dubbed Mission Akash Ganga, was delayed multiple times due to weather and technical setbacks. Initially set for May 29, today’s launch follows rigorous checks by SpaceX and ISRO for maximum safety.
The Indian space agency acquired Shukla’s seat on the mission for a reported ₹550 crore, making this India’s first participation in a private international spaceflight mission. The crew will spend about two weeks aboard the International Space Station conducting research and outreach.
Docking is expected to take place tomorrow, June 26, at 4:30 PM IST. Stay tuned for all live updates and coverage as India sends its second astronaut to space.
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