NASA to welcome 4th private astronaut mission which includes Indian astronaut, to International Space Station

The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft carrying the Axiom Mission 4 crew launches atop the Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center to the International Space Station. PHOTO:
Credit NASA

A successful launch took place early morning of June 25, 2025, putting four private astronauts, including one from India, in orbit on the way to the International Space Station, as part of NASA’s efforts to expand access to space, the agency said. This is the fourth all-private astronaut mission to ISS.

A SpaceX Dragon spacecraft lifted off at 2:31 a.m. EDT Wednesday, June 25, from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, carrying Axiom Mission 4 crew members, a press release from NASA said.

The crew includes Peggy Whitson, former NASA astronaut and director of human spaceflight at Axiom Space as commander, ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) astronaut and pilot Shubhanshu Shukla, and mission specialists ESA (European Space Agency) project astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski of Poland and HUNOR (Hungarian to Orbit) astronaut Tibor Kapu of Hungary.

From left to right: Tibor Kapu of Hungary, ISRO (Indian Space Research Organization) astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski of Poland. PHOTO: SpaceX via NASA.gov

The crew is scheduled to remain at the space station, conducting microgravity research, educational outreach, and commercial activities for about two weeks before a return to Earth and splashdown off the coast of California.

“Congratulations to Axiom Space and SpaceX on a successful launch,” said NASA acting Administrator Janet Petro, who maintained that America had expanded international participation under President Donald Trump’s leadership. “America has expanded international participation and commercial capabilities in low Earth orbit. U.S. industry is enabling astronauts from India, Poland, and Hungary to return to space for the first time in over forty years,” Petro said, calling it a “powerful example of American leadership bringing nations together in pursuit of science, discovery, and opportunity.”

A collaboration between NASA and ISRO allowed Axiom Mission 4 to deliver on a commitment highlighted by President Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to send the first ISRO astronaut to the station, NASA said. The space agencies are participating in five joint science investigations and two in-orbit science, technology, engineering, and mathematics demonstrations. “

NASA and ISRO have a long-standing relationship built on a shared vision to advance scientific knowledge and expand space collaboration,” the agency added.

Live coverage of the spacecraft’s arrival will begin at 5 a.m., Thursday, June 26, on NASA+. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of platforms, including social media.

The spacecraft is scheduled to autonomously dock at approximately 7 a.m. to the space-facing port of the space station’s Harmony module.

Once aboard the station, Expedition 73 crew members, including NASA astronauts, Nicole Ayers, Anne McClain, and Jonny Kim, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Kirill Peskov, Sergey Ryzhikov, and Alexey Zubritsky will welcome the astronauts.