Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla is set to soar into space as part of Axiom Space’s upcoming Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission. Ahead of the space launch, Shukla and his fellow crew members completed a full-dress rehearsal of launch day operations with SpaceX teams, including a critical static fire test of the Falcon 9 rocket.
The mission is scheduled to launch on Tuesday, June 10, from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The static fire – a routine but crucial pre-launch procedure – was completed successfully, and teams are now reviewing the data while monitoring weather conditions along the rocket’s ascent corridor to ensure optimal launch readiness.
Shukla will serve as the pilot of the Ax-4 mission, which marks India’s return to human spaceflight after more than four decades. Joining him are mission commander Peggy Whitson of the United States, Hungary’s Tibor Kapu, and Poland’s Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski, both flying as mission specialists. The mission’s lift-off comes 41 years after Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma became the first Indian to journey into space aboard the Russian Soyuz T-11 in 1984.
The crew will travel aboard a newly developed SpaceX Dragon spacecraft mounted atop a Falcon 9 rocket. The spacecraft, which arrived at Launch Pad 39A’s hangar ahead of its maiden voyage, will carry the four astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of Axiom’s fourth private human spaceflight mission.
Originally slated for launch on June 8, the Ax-4 mission was delayed by two days to ensure all systems were optimally prepared. The Dragon capsule is expected to dock with the ISS on Wednesday, June 11, at around 10 PM IST (12:30 PM EDT), following a journey of approximately 28 hours.
During their stay aboard the ISS, the Ax-4 crew will carry out around 60 scientific investigations spanning human health, Earth observation, and material sciences. The research will involve collaborations across 31 countries, making it one of the most internationally diverse commercial space missions to date.
As anticipation builds, the Ax-4 mission is being closely watched across the globe, particularly in India, where Shukla’s flight has reignited public excitement for human space exploration and highlighted the country’s growing footprint in global space missions.