Axiom Space’s AX-4 mission is scheduled to launch from Kennedy Space Center on June 19. Four astronauts will head to the International Space Station (ISS) for two weeks to undertake a series of scientific experiments.
The mission is notable for different reasons. It will be only the second commercial spaceflight mission made up of US government and ESA-sponsored national astronauts. For three of the four countries involved, it will be the first time in decades they have had an astronaut head to space.
Shubhanshu Shukla is an Indian Air Force test pilot. He one of four astronauts onboard Axion Space’s Mission 4 (Ax-4) scheduled to launch no earlier than June 19. Shukla is the first Indian government-sponsored astronaut to go into space since 1984
Also onboard is Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski from Poland and Tibor Kapu from Hungary. Uznański-Wiśniewski is the first Polish astronaut since Mirosław Hermaszewski flew on the Russian Soviet Soyuz 30 mission in 1978. Hungary hasn’t seen one of its citizens in space since Bertalan Farkas was onboard the Soyuz 36 mission in 1980. The Ax-4 commander is Peggy Whitson, described as America’s most experienced astronaut.
“With a culturally diverse crew, we are not only advancing scientific knowledge but also fostering international collaboration,” says Whitson.
Shubhanshu Shukla and Peggy Whitson
The most science focused Axiom Space mission to date
Axion Space is using a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft to take the four-person crew to the International Space Station. Ax-4 will be Axiom’s fourth space mission and second this year. The Texas-based company has ambitions to assemble and operate an independent space station. In the meantime, it is getting some space experience shuttling to and from the ISS, albeit using SpaceX spacecraft.
The Ax-4 research complement includes around 60 scientific studies and activities. Axiom says it will be the most research and science-related focused Axiom Space mission to the ISS to date.
Among other things, the Sanford Stem Cell Institute will study tumour organoids in microgravity to try to identify early warning signs of cancer. They hope to further understand stem cells, cancer, and aging-related effects in space to develop better cancer prediction and therapeutics.
Axiom Space’s AX-4 mission launch was due to take place on June 11. However, it was shut down 24 hours prior when a liquid oxygen leak was discovered. The leak was identified during static fire tests of the rocket engines. Axiom Space says the problem is now addressed.
Valuable space experience for India
India plans to send its own crewed spacecraft to space in 2027. It is also eyeing a crewed mission to the Moon three years later. India’s space ambitions are well-known. Shukla is slated to be onboard the 2027 mission, and this month’s launch gives him valuable experience. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) can draw on that to help plan the 2027 Gaganyaan mission.
This week’s impending launch is big news in India He is acting as a pilot and effectively second in command of the spacecraft That will see him assisting with spacecraft operations during launch, docking, undocking and return to Earth ISRO paid around USD59 million to secure him a place on the Ax-4 mission.
“The benefit we will get from this mission is phenomenal in terms of the training, exposure to the facilities and the experience of jointly conducting experiments in space,” ISRO Chairman V Narayanan said recently.
