Axiom Space has announced that it is partnering with India, through the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Poland, with European Space Agency (ESA) support and Hungary to send three national astronauts to the International Space Station on Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), the company’s next commercial human spaceflight mission to the orbiting laboratory.
The Ax-4 crewmembers arrived in Houston to begin training with Axiom Space, NASA and SpaceX.
The crew assigned to Ax-4 includes Commander Peggy Whitson, Mission Pilot Shubhanshu Shukla of India, Mission Specialist Sławosz Uznański of ESA/Poland and Mission Specialist Tibor Kapu of Hungary. The assigned crewmembers are pending approval to fly to the International Space Station by the Multilateral Crew Operations Panel (MCOP). MCOP decisions are made in consensus by representatives from all five-space station international partners: NASA, ESA, Roscosmos, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and the Canadian Space Agency.
Michael Suffredini, CEO of Axiom Space, said: “Ax-4 represents Axiom Space’s continued efforts to build opportunities for countries to research, innovate, test, and engage with people around the world while in low-Earth orbit. This mission broadens the horizons for nations with ambitious goals of advancing scientific, technological, and economic pursuits. Our collaboration with ESA for a second time and the inclusion of Hungary and India underscores Axiom Space’s ability to cultivate global partners, expand the scope of exploration, and open up new avenues to grow a global space economy.”
The mission will place significant emphasis on scientific research, technology demonstrations, and the commercialisation of space. Additionally, the mission aims to foster cooperation by sharing knowledge, resources, and opportunities with the partners, solidifying these nations as leaders within the growing space community.
Peggy Whitson, Ax-4 commander, added: “I look forward to commanding my second commercial human spaceflight mission with Axiom Space. With a culturally diverse crew, we are not only advancing scientific knowledge but also fostering international collaboration. Our previous missions set the stage. Axiom Mission 1 was the first all-private mission to the space station. Axiom Mission 2 launched the first Saudi female to space. Axiom Mission 3 included the first Turkish astronaut and the first ESA astronaut to fly on a commercial space mission. Now, with Ax-4, we ascend even higher, bringing even more nations to low-Earth orbit and expanding humanity’s reach among the stars.”
Ax-4 will launch to the orbiting laboratory aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft from Florida, and the crew is expected to spend up to 14 days on the space station.
Of note, Ax-4 will be the second Axiom Space mission to include an ESA astronaut. Marcus Wandt became ESA’s first-ever project astronaut on Ax-3 and the second ESA astronaut of Swedish nationality to travel to the space station. During Ax-4, Axiom Space will continue to build on its partnership with ESA by sending a Polish astronaut to space for the first time in more than 40 years.
Most recently, in July, Axiom Space signed an SFA with ISRO. This is a significant milestone toward India’s goal of mounting a joint ISRO-NASA effort on board the International Space Station.
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