The company Axiom Space is gearing up for its fourth private mission to the International Space Station (ISS). Set to launch this spring, the Ax-4 mission will carry four crew members to the station, including an astronaut from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), marking the first time an ISRO member will travel there.
The crew is made up of former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, who will act as commander, plus pilot Shubhanshu Shukla of the ISRO, and two mission specialists from the European Space Agency: project astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski of Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary. The crew has now been approved by NASA to spend up to 14 days at the ISS.
“I am excited to see continued interest and dedication for the private astronaut missions aboard the International Space Station,” said Dana Weigel, manager of NASA’s International Space Station Program at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. “As NASA looks toward the future of low Earth orbit, private astronaut missions help pave the way and expand access to the unique microgravity environment.”
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The crew have been preparing for their mission since August last year, including learning the ins and outs of the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft that they will travel in and the Falcon 9 rocket which will launch it. They will spend their two weeks in orbit working on science experiments, outreach, and commercial activities, including contributing to research on the effects of spaceflight on the human body via the TRISH program which gathers data from commercial astronauts on health outcomes.
With its international crew, the mission includes the second national astronauts to go to space for India, Poland, and Hungary, and the first time that members from each nation are participating in a mission to the ISS. Axiom Space has emphasized its interest in collaborating with space agencies around the world, including forging a partnership with ESA for taking astronauts to the ISS.
“Working with the talented and diverse Ax-4 crew has been a deeply rewarding experience,” said Whitson. “Witnessing their selfless dedication and commitment to expanding horizons and creating opportunities for their nations in space exploration is truly remarkable. Each crew member brings unique strengths and perspectives, making our mission not just a scientific endeavor, but a testament to human ingenuity and teamwork. The importance of our mission is about pushing the limits of what we can achieve together and inspiring future generations to dream bigger and reach farther.”