The Ax-4 crew is preparing to leave the international space station aboard the Space Space Space of Spacex, marking the end of their 18-day mission in orbit. Credit: NASA
Takeaway Keyway:
- Axiom Mission 4 (AX-4) successfully concluded a 18-day mission at the International Space Station (ISS).
- The mission included astronauts from India, Poland and Hungary for their first space flights sponsored by the government for decades.
- Over 60 scientific investigations were conducted, including the joint research of the NASA-isro.
- Ax-4 was a mission financed privately in support of NASA’s passage towards commercial space operations.
At 7:15 Edt on July 14, the Axiom Mission 4 crew (AX-4) did not come across the International Space Station, concluding an 18-day stay that marked new milestones in commercial and international spatial flight.
The team – led by the veteran of NASA Astronout and the current Space Axiom Human Space Flight Director Peggy Whitson – splashed safely in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California at 5:31 EDT the next day. Their journey home, the Dragon of the Spacex Grace Dragon, was quickly recovered by the Spacex ships, according to a press release from the NASA on July 15, concluding an emblematic journey of the new Spaceflight era.
Launched on June 25 on top of a Spacex Falcon 9 rocket from the NASA Kennedy Space Center, Ax-4 was the fourth mission of private astronaut of Axiom supported by NASA at ISS. He reflected the drive on the agency at the transition of low -earth orbit operations to commercial suppliers, freeing the resources for Artemis missions on the moon.
The AX-4 crew included Shubhanshu Shukla of India, Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski of Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary-Astronauts representing their countries for the first time. For all three nations, this was their first participation in the spatial flight sponsored by the government at over 40 years. The presence of Shukla has fulfilled a long planned collaboration between NASA and ISRO, based on a commitment prepared by President Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“The AX-4 mission is a powerful demonstration of what is possible through the commercial space,” said Tejpaul Bhatia, CEO of Axiom Space. “Enable astronauts from India, Poland and Hungary to carry out scientific research on board the space station, we are supporting these nations in their contribution to the human space flight.”
During their period on board the orbit laboratory, Ax-4 astronauts conducted over 60 scientific investigations in all fields including life sciences, material science, earth observation and technological development. Five of these studies were joint efforts between NASA and ISRO. The mission also included educational awareness, with the crew participating in over 20 public events aimed at students, researchers and aspiring space professionals in 31 countries.
Ax-4 is part of the widest Axiom Space strategy to increase access to space and lay the foundations for the Axiom station, the company’s planned commercial successor at the ISS.
