— SpaceX (@SpaceX) June 24, 2025 The Axiom-4 mission will be launched from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Centre in Florida. The mission holds much significance for India's space capabilities, as the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft will be piloted by India's Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla after launching on the company's Falcon 9 rocket. For Group Captain Shukla, this will be an opportunity to emulate fellow Indian Air Force Officer Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma, who flew aboard Soyuz T-11 on April 3, 1984 as part of the Soviet Interkosmos programme, becoming the first Indian in space. The Group Captain will now be rewriting history, as he is set to become the second Indian in space and the first to visit the ISS. The four-member crew, which has been in quarantine in Florida, will be commanded by Peggy Whitson, a former NASA astronaut and now Axiom Space's Director of Human Spaceflight. The mission specialists are ESA project astronaut Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland and Tibor Kapu from Hungary. The Ax-4 mission will "realise the return" to human spaceflight for India, Poland, and Hungary, with each nation's first government-sponsored flight in more than 40 years. While Ax-4 marks these countries' second human spaceflight mission in history, it will be the first time all three nations will execute a mission on board the International Space Station. For ISRO and Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, this mission lays the groundwork for India's space roadmap, with the country's first human Space mission "Gaganyaan" scheduled for the first quarter of 2027 and to land an Indian on the Moon by 2040. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever. "Exciting news! Mid-day is now on WhatsApp Channels Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here! Share