Indian astronaut, Hungarian engineer, and Polish scientist embark on journey to International Space Station (ISS) via Axiom Space mission.

Lift-Off for Axiom-Mission: An Indian, Hungarian, and Polish Astronaut Team Head to the ISS

Indian astronaut, Hungarian engineer, and Polish scientist embark on journey to International Space Station (ISS) via Axiom Space mission.

Are you ready for a historical space voyage? Get set, go! The Axiom Space's fourth commercial mission, dubbed AX-4, is poised to launch on Wednesday at 14:00 CEST, blasting off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. However, expect a possible last-minute delay due to weather conditions or other unforeseen circumstances.

Soaring through the skies on a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft, powered by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, the crew consists of Peggy Whitson (USA), Shubhanshu Shukla (India), Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski (Poland), and Tibor Kapu (Hungary). Keep in mind that this is the first space travel for Shukla, Uznański-Wiśniewski, and Kapu, while Whitson, a former NASA astronaut, has previously ventured into space multiple times. As for the crew, Kapu and Uznański-Wiśniewski are engineers, and Shukla works for the Indian Air Force. It's about to be history in the making as, assuming a successful launch, they will be the first people from their respective countries to board the ISS.

Interested in trivia? People from these nations have voyaged to space before, but it was with Russian Soyuz missions back in the 70s and 80s!

Axiom Space's Commercial Space Missions

The AX-4 mission is organized by US-based Axiom Space in collaboration with NASA and SpaceX. This marks the fourth commercial space mission by Axiom Space, following the first private mission to the ISS in 2022, and two more in 2023 and 2024. The third Axiom mission, the longest commercial spaceflight to date, lasted nearly three weeks. How much does this space adventure cost? A whopping 70 million euros per passenger, according to media reports.

Aims and Goals of Axiom Space's Missions

The crew is expected to spend around two weeks at the ISS. The mission's primary objective is to conduct intensive scientific research, making it the most research-focused Axiom mission to date. Nearly 60 scientific studies from 31 different countries will be undertaken during the mission.

Want to know more about Axiom Space's previous missions? Axiom Space has been spearheading private astronaut missions to the ISS since 2022, with projects such as AX-1, AX-2, and AX-3. Furthermore, the company is planning to construct its own commercial space station, scheduled to replace the ISS by the end of 2030.

References: ntv.de, dpa

The Axiom Space's fourth commercial mission, the historical AX-4, sets off on Wednesday, marking the first space travel for Shubhanshu Shukla (India), Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski (Poland), and Tibor Kapu (Hungary), while Peggy Whitson (USA) embarks on another space journey. This space adventure costs a significant 70 million euros per passenger, and the mission's primary objective is conducting intensive scientific research, making it the most research-focused Axiom mission to date, with nearly 60 scientific studies from 31 different countries involved.

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