NASA, in coordination with Axiom Space and SpaceX, has officially set the new launch date for the Axiom-4 mission—Wednesday, June 25 at 2:31 AM EDT (12:10 PM IST). The mission will take off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, sending a fresh batch of private astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS).
India’s Shubhanshu Shukla on Board
.@NASA, @Axiom_Space, and @SpaceX are targeting 2:31 a.m. EDT, Wednesday, June 25, for the launch of Axiom Mission 4 to the orbital outpost. https://t.co/kbAFZXZjNv
— International Space Station (@Space_Station) June 23, 2025
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, representing India, will fly as the designated pilot for this historic mission. He will be joined by veteran NASA astronaut Dr Peggy Whitson as mission commander, Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland, and Tibor Kapu from Hungary as mission specialists.
Journey to the ISS
The crew will travel aboard a new SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, launched by a Falcon 9 rocket. Docking at the ISS is targeted for 7 AM EDT on Thursday, June 26. NASA is expected to provide further coverage details soon.
Timeline of Delays
The Axiom-4 mission has faced six postponements since its original launch date of May 29. From weather issues to a liquid oxygen leak and technical faults in the ISS service module, the launch has repeatedly been pushed back—until now.
With all systems finally aligned, the Axiom-4 mission promises to be a proud moment for India and a milestone in private space exploration.
