.jpg) Artists' impression of a Crew Dragon approaching the forward port ofHarmony on the ISS. | |
| Names | Ax-4 |
|---|---|
| Mission type | Private spaceflight to theISS |
| Operator | |
| Mission duration | 14–21 days (planned) |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft | Crew Dragon C213 |
| Spacecraft type | Crew Dragon |
| Manufacturer | SpaceX |
| Crew | |
| Crew size | 4 |
| Members | |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | NET May 29, 2025 17:03 UTC (1:03 pm EDT) |
| Rocket | Falcon 9 Block 5 |
| Launch site | Kennedy,LC‑39A |
| End of mission | |
| Recovered by | MV Shannon |
| Landing site | Pacific Ocean near Los Angeles, Oceanside, or San Diego |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric orbit |
| Regime | Low Earth orbit |
| Docking withISS | |
| Docking port | Harmony Zenith |
   Top: Axiom mission patch Bottom left: Uznański-Wiśniewski's Ignis mission patch Bottom right: Kapu's Hunor mission patch Axiom Space missions | |
Axiom Mission 4 (Ax‑4) is a plannedprivate spaceflight to theInternational Space Station (ISS) operated byAxiom Space in partnership withSpaceX andNASA.[1] The flight is scheduled to lift off fromLaunch Complex 39A at theKennedy Space Center no earlier than May 29, 2025 at 17:03 UTC (1:03 pm EDT, local time at the launch site), and will last about two to three weeks. It will use a SpaceXFalcon 9 Block 5 rocket to place Crew Dragon C213 into low Earth orbit. This will be the maiden flight of the C213 spacecraft, the fifth—and potentially final—Crew Dragon to be built.[2][3]
The crew of four consists of CommanderPeggy Whitson, an Axiom employee; PilotShubhanshu Shukla of theIndian Space Research Organisation; and mission specialistsSławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski, aEuropean Space Agency project astronaut fromPoland, andTibor Kapu representing theHungarian Space Office.[4]
The flight crew will include veteran astronautPeggy Whitson,ISRO astronautShubhanshu Shukla,Polish astronautSławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski, andHungarian astronautTibor Kapu.[4]
Shubhanshu Shukla will be the first ofIndia's astronaut corps to fly to space.
| Position[5] | Astronaut | |
|---|---|---|
| Commander |  Peggy Whitson,Axiom SpaceFifth spaceflight | |
| Pilot |  Shubhanshu Shukla,ISROFirst spaceflight | |
| Mission Specialist 1 |  Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski,ESA/POLSAFirst spaceflight | |
| Mission Specialist 2 |  Tibor Kapu,HSOFirst spaceflight | |
| Position | Astronaut | |
|---|---|---|
| Commander | /  Michael López-Alegría,Axiom Space | |
| Pilot | Prasanth Nair,ISRO | |
| Mission Specialist 2 | Gyula Cserényi,HSO | |
There are23 days,11 hours,28 minutes and16 seconds until Liftoff of Ax-4.(refresh)
| Country | Launch Date and Time |
|---|---|
| United States | 29 May 2025, 1:03 PMEDT |
| India | 29 May 2025, 10:33 PMIST |
| Poland | 29 May 2025, 7:03 PMCEST |
| Hungary | 29 May 2025, 7:03 PMCEST |
Ax‑4 represents a milestone for India’s human spaceflight program, integrating with ISRO’sGaganyaan initiative. While Gaganyaan remains India’s independent crewed program, Ax‑4 provides the first opportunity for an Indian astronaut—Shubhanshu Shukla—to fly on a commercial mission to the ISS. Shukla will conduct experiments developed by ISRO and Indian institutions, including studies of cognitive effects of screen use, microbial adaptation, muscle atrophy, and crop resilience in microgravity.[7][8]
For Poland, Ax‑4 is the first crewed mission since 1980. ThePolish Space Agency (POLSA) and theEuropean Space Agency (ESA) have partnered on the Ignis mission for astronautSławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski. His payload suite includes experiments in technology and life sciences.[9][10][11] One experiment, theKP Labs Leopard Data Processing Unit, will demonstrate AI‑based data processing in orbit to reduce ground infrastructure requirements.[12]
The Ignis mission has its own patch, separate from the Axiom Mission 4 patch, depicting an eagle in thePolish colors whose wings trace the contours of theOrla Perć mountain range and a stylized depiction of theScutum constellation (a tribute toJohannes Hevelius) over the mission's name, Ignis, theLatin word for fire.[13]
Ax‑4 will also carryHungary's first astronaut since the fall of the Soviet Union. Although Hungary is also part of the ESA, the HUNOR (short for HUNgarian to ORbit) mission was developed by theHungarian Space Office (HSO) completely independent of the ESA.[14] HUNOR was first announced in 2021 and in July 2022 the Hungarian foreign ministry signed a preliminary deal with Axiom for the flight,[14] which was finalized in September 2023.[14]Tibor Kapu was selected from 247 applicants to fly on the mission, supported by backup astronautGyula Cserényi.[15] Kapu is amechanical engineer and recreationalskydiver, Cserényi is anelectrical engineer and amateursteeplechase racer.[16] Both completed their NASA training in April 2025.[17]
The HUNOR mission has its own patch, separate from the Axiom Mission 4 patch, depicting theCsodaszarvas and four stars representing the final astronaut candidates.[18]
See also:ISS expeditions,Uncrewed ISS flights | ||
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