Axiom Mission 4 Set To Launch Today

After multiple delays, the Axiom 4 mission to the International Space Station carrying Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla is set to launch today from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The four-member crew mission is scheduled to lift off at 12.01 pm.

US space agency NASA said that the crew will travel to the orbiting laboratory on a new SpaceX Dragon spacecraft after launching on the company’s Falcon 9 rocket. Once docked, the astronauts plan to spend up to 14 days aboard the space station, conducting a mission comprised of science, outreach, and commercial activities. Former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson will command the commercial mission, and ISRO astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla will serve as pilot.

Shubhanshu Shukla will be the second Indian astronaut to travel to space after Rakesh Sharma’s 1984 mission. Born on October 10, 1985, in Uttar Pradesh, Shubhanshu Shukla's journey began when he was commissioned into the Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter wing in June 2006. According to Axiom Space, he has over 2,000 hours of flying experience and has flown various aircraft, including MiGs and Dorniers.