Axiom-4 Mission cleared for launch to ISS: Dragon hatch secured, suit checks done

Crew of Axiom-4 mission (Photo Credit: X/@SpaceX)

The crew of Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) is officially ready to launch to the International Space Station (ISS), SpaceX confirmed in a recent update. The private spaceflight company announced that the Dragon spacecraft's hatch has been secured and all pre-launch procedures, including suit and communication checks, have been successfully completed. “Dragon’s hatch is closed, all communication and suit checks are complete, the seats are rotated, and the Ax-4 crew is ready for launch,” SpaceX posted on X.

The launch is scheduled for 2:31 am EDT on Wednesday, June 25 (which is noon IST), from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The four-member crew will travel aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, lifted by a Falcon 9 rocket. Docking with the ISS is expected around 7 am EDT on Thursday, June 26.

Among the Ax-4 crew is Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who will serve as the mission’s pilot. He is joined by Slawosz Uznanski of Poland, a European Space Agency (ESA) project astronaut, and Tibor Kapu of Hungary. Commanding the mission is American astronaut Peggy Whitson, who holds the record for the longest cumulative time in space by any American.

This launch was initially planned for June 22 but was postponed to allow NASA and its ISS partners time to evaluate recent maintenance work on the Zvezda service module. Due to the station’s interconnected systems, extra caution was needed before welcoming new crew members.

The Ax-4 mission marks a historic milestone for the participating nations. According to ISS officials, this flight represents a significant return to human spaceflight for India, Poland, and Hungary — each of whom last sent government-sponsored astronauts to space over four decades ago. Notably, this will be the first time all three countries send astronauts to the ISS.

While the Ax-4 crew remains in quarantine in Florida, final preparations are underway. The Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket are both in stable condition at the launch pad.

Peggy Whitson, now serving as Axiom Space’s Director of Human Spaceflight, will command the mission. Shukla, who is associated with India’s space program, is the designated pilot. The two mission specialists — Uznanski and Kapu — represent government-backed initiatives from Poland and Hungary, respectively.

Axiom Space emphasized the symbolic and strategic value of this international collaboration. The Ax-4 mission stands as the second commercial flight comprised entirely of national astronauts from various agencies, including ESA. It also represents a significant step for all three countries in expanding their roles in space research and exploration.

Ax-4 will carry out around 60 scientific experiments and activities, involving participants from 31 countries including the US, India, Poland, Hungary, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Nigeria, the UAE, and several European nations. Axiom Space highlighted this as their most research-intensive mission to date, with projects spanning human health, life sciences, material science, and Earth observation.

By bringing together government agencies, scientific institutions, and commercial partners, the Ax-4 mission seeks to demonstrate the growing importance of microgravity research and the value of international cooperation in space. The mission also aims to bolster scientific engagement in the participating countries and inspire future advancements in low-Earth orbit research.