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Analiza Pathak
Born in Guwahati, raised in Mussoorie and Delhi, She grew up reading magazines more than textbooks. She is an experienced writer/editor and has shifted focus to various aspects of communication. Her a ... Read More
India is getting ready for an exciting new chapter in space today with the launch of the Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) to the International Space Station. After being delayed six times, the mission is finally set to take off, and it’s extra special for India because one of our own, astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, is part of the four-member crew.
This launch is a big moment not just for India, but also for Hungary and Poland, as all three countries are sending astronauts back into space after a long time. The mission will lift off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
Shubhanshu will be joined on the journey with Peggy Whitson, a former NASA astronaut from the U.S., Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski from Poland, and Tibor Kapu from Hungary. Shubhanshu will be the first Indian to visit the ISS and only the second Indian in space since Rakesh Sharma’s 1984 mission.
Launch Time: NASA, Axiom Space, and SpaceX have scheduled the launch for 2:31 a.m. EDT on Wednesday, June 25 — that’s 12:01 p.m. IST (Indian Standard Time).
The launch will take place from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The crew will ride to space aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket in a brand-new Dragon spacecraft.
They’re expected to dock with the International Space Station at around 7:00 a.m. EDT (4:30 p.m. IST) on Thursday, June 26.
You can watch the launch live:
The mission has faced several delays in the past, first due to bad weather and later because of technical issues with the rocket. Once aboard the ISS, the astronauts will spend about two weeks carrying out a mix of science experiments, educational outreach, and commercial work.
