Prior to its imminent release, SpaceX confirmed that the Ax-4 crew and its members completed a full rehearsal of launch day operations before liftoff on Tuesday. The news was released through the company’s official X (formerly Twitter) account, ‘The Ax-4 crew and SpaceX teams completed a full rehearsal of launch day activities ahead of liftoff on Tuesday’.
The Ax-4 crew and SpaceX teams completed a full rehearsal of launch day activities ahead of liftoff on Tuesday pic.twitter.com/MEhuTdeuDf
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) June 8, 2025
One of the astronauts is Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who is the pilot of the Ax-4 mission from India. He was announced to take part by Axiom Space and recognized by ISRO. Liftoff is planned for Tuesday, June 10, at 8:22 am ET, on the NASA’s Kennedy Space Center aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. The International Space Station also put the significance of the mission into words on social media.
This follows Axiom Space reports that Ax-4 represents a milestone achievement for human spaceflight, particularly for India, Hungary, and Poland since all three nations are going back to space after more than forty years—this time as part of their initial government-sponsored missions to the International Space Station.
A New Chapter in India’s Space Legacy
With this mission, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla will be the second Indian citizen to go to space, after Rakesh Sharma’s mission in 1984. ESA astronaut Slawosz Uznanski will be the second Pole in space since 1978, and Tibor Kapu will be representing Hungary, after Bertalan Farkas in 1980.
The mission will be led by veteran astronaut Peggy Whitson, who is the all-time record holder of the most cumulative time spent in space by any American. She will be leading a commercial human spaceflight for the second time.
Axiom Space’s Ax-4 mission is uniquely notable as being only the second full-crew sponsored commercial mission to carry a crew sponsored by national governments and the European Space Agency, and it strongly affirms Axiom Space’s goal of opening low-Earth orbit to more nations.
Global Cooperation and Scientific Discovery
Ax-4 crew is likely to conduct about 60 science and research experiments while on board the ISS. The activities are expected to have cooperation from 31 nations, such as the U.S., India, Poland, Hungary, Brazil, Nigeria, UAE, Saudi Arabia, and several European nations.
Axiom Space characterized Ax-4 as its most research-oriented mission to date. The experiments will target human health, biology, monitoring Earth, and material sciences to show the value of microgravity research for life on Earth.
The ambitious mission also provides a platform for India, Poland, and Hungary to develop their space program and enhance international scientific cooperation.
