Opinion/ Axiom-4 Mission with Indian Astronaut

Florida: After facing multiple delays, the much-awaited Axiom-4 space mission, carrying Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla is all set to take off today. The mission is scheduled to launch on Wednesday, June 25, at 2:31 AM EDT (around 12 noon IST) from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Shukla, who is associated with ISRO, will fly as the mission's pilot, making this a historic spaceflight for India as the country returns to human space exploration after decades.

The Axiom-4 mission is a private spaceflight mission to the International Space Station (ISS). It is being launched by SpaceX, using its trusted Falcon 9 rocket. According to a statement from SpaceX, all systems are functioning properly and weather conditions are 90% favourable for the launch.

This mission is significant not just for India but als o for Poland and Hungary. It marks the return of all three countries to government-sponsored human spaceflight after more than 40 years. While this will be the second time each country has sent humans to space, it is the first time their astronauts will stay and work aboard the ISS.