NASA, Axiom, SpaceX target new launch date for fourth private ISS mission

Peggy Whitson to lead Axiom 4 mission to ISS

Axiom Space has approved the crew for its fourth private mission to the International Space Station (ISS), set to launch later this year from Cape Canaveral. The mission, Axiom 4, will be led by veteran astronaut Peggy Whitson, who already holds the record for most days spent in space by an American.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA, Axiom Space, and SpaceX are targeting Wednesday for the launch of Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), the fourth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station (ISS).

Mission has faced repeated delays

What we know:

NASA, Axiom Space, and SpaceX are preparing to launch Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), a private astronaut flight to the International Space Station (ISS), at 2:31 a.m. EDT on Wednesday, June 25, from Kennedy Space Center.

The crew will ride aboard a new SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, with docking scheduled for 7 a.m. the following day. The mission includes astronauts from four countries — Commander Peggy Whitson (USA), Pilot Shubhanshu Shukla (India), and Mission Specialists Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski (Poland) and Tibor Kapu (Hungary).

The mission has faced repeated delays. Initial postponements stemmed from weather conditions and a liquid oxygen leak. Then, a leak in a Russian module aboard the ISS added to the holdup, prompting further safety reviews and coordination among international partners.

What we don't know:

Mission planners have not revealed how long the crew will remain aboard the ISS or what specific research or objectives the team will undertake. Training schedules, pre-launch protocols, and contingency plans remain undisclosed ahead of the launch.

The backstory:

This mission marks the first government-sponsored spaceflight in more than four decades for India, Poland, and Hungary. Peggy Whitson, a veteran astronaut, will lead the international team.

Ax-4 underscores the growing role of private companies like Axiom Space in global space exploration and diplomacy. The mission also reflects NASA’s broader strategy to open low Earth orbit to commercial players while fostering international cooperation through space travel.

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