Astronauts Prepare for International Space Station Mission with Personal and Cultural Items

The Axiom Mission 4 crew from the U.S., India, Hungary, and Poland will conduct experiments and bring meaningful mementos to space this spring.

The Axiom Mission 4 crew will travel to the International Space Station this spring aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon spaceship in a joint NASA and ESA mission.
The crew includes astronauts from the U.S., India, Hungary, and Poland, with Peggy Whitson, a veteran astronaut from the U.S., serving as mission commander.
Crew members are bringing items of personal and national significance, such as a wedding necklace, Polish pierogi, and a photo of Hungary's first astronaut.
The mission will include nearly two weeks of medical and technological experiments in space, with training currently underway.
ESA head Josef Aschbacher emphasized the strategic importance of space research, including its role in advancing security and innovation.