SpaceX's Ax-4 Crew Dragon Launches Diverse Team to Orbital Lab
In a landmark moment for global space collaboration, SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule soared into orbit Wednesday aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Florida's Kennedy Space Center. The Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) carries astronauts from India, Poland, and Hungary – nations returning to human spaceflight after decades-long absences.
Commanded by former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, now with Axiom Space, the crew includes Indian pilot Shubhanshu Shukla, Poland's Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski, and Hungary's Tibor Kapu. Their journey marks the first time since the 1980s that these countries have sent citizens to space, when Soviet-led missions carried their predecessors as cosmonauts.
The newly christened 'Grace' capsule – the final addition to SpaceX's operational fleet – is scheduled to dock with the International Space Station Thursday morning GMT. During their 14-day stay, the crew will conduct scientific experiments and technology demonstrations.
This mission represents multiple milestones: Shukla becomes India's first astronaut in 39 years since Rakesh Sharma's historic 1984 Soviet mission, while Poland and Hungary return to space after 44 and 42 years respectively.
The launch follows technical delays and occurs amid heightened attention on SpaceX leadership, though mission controllers maintained focus on operational success. As private spaceflight becomes increasingly global, Ax-4 demonstrates growing international access to orbital research opportunities.
