Four Countries Will Be Represented On Fourth Private Flight

NASA and its international partners announced the approval of the four crew members for the next Axiom Space private astronaut mission to the International Space Station (ISS) which will launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida no earlier than the spring of 2025.

Peggy Whitson, a former NASA astronaut and now director of human spaceflight at Axiom Space, will be the commander of the commercial mission. Shubhanshu Shukla, an astronaut of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), will serve as the pilot. The mission specialists will be European Space Agency (ESA) project astronaut Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland and mechanical engineer Tibor Kapu of Hungary.

The mission will be Axiom Space’s fourth, named Ax-4, and is a collaboration between the ESA and Axiom Space. The astronauts will spend 14 days on the ISS conducting a mix of outreach, science, and commercial activities. It will be the first time astronauts from ISRO, Poland, and Hungary will spend time onboard the station.

Dana Weigel, manager of NASA’s International Space Station Program at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston said, “I am excited to see continued interest and dedication for the private astronaut missions aboard the International Space Station. 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.”

Whitson said, “Working with the talented and diverse Ax-4 crew has been a deeply rewarding experience. 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.”

FMI:  www.axiomspace.com/