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Ax-4 Launch Sends First Indian, Hungarian and Polish Astronauts Toward ISS

Today’s docking marks a milestone in private space collaboration with Axiom Space building expertise for its planned private space station

Die US-Astronautin Peggy Whitson (l-r), Kommandantin der wissenschaftlichen Raumfahrtmission Ax-4, posiert mit den Besatzungsmitgliedern Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski aus Polen, Mitte, und Tibor Kapu aus Ungarn während einer Medienveranstaltung.
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Erstmals sind Astronauten aus Indien, Polen und Ungarn zur Internationalen Raumstation ISS gestartet.
Erstmals sind Astronauten aus Indien, Polen und Ungarn an der Internationalen Raumstation ISS angekommen. Eine Raumkapsel mit den drei Raumfahrern sowie der ehemaligen Nasa-Astronautin Peggy Whitson dockte erfolgreich an der ISS an.

Overview

  • Ax-4 lifted off June 25 from Cape Canaveral aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 after the mission faced previous technical delays to both the rocket and the ISS docking systems.
  • The crew comprises veteran NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson and three spaceflight newcomers: Indian Air Force officer Shubhanshu Shukla, Hungarian engineer Tibor Kapu and Polish engineer Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski.
  • The Dragon capsule is scheduled to dock at the ISS today, where the team will spend about two weeks conducting microgravity experiments in biology, materials science and technology testing.
  • This flight represents Axiom Space’s fourth commercial mission in partnership with NASA and SpaceX, following private missions in 2022, 2023 and 2024.
  • At an estimated €70 million per seat, the mission also advances Axiom’s goal of gaining operational experience ahead of construction on its own orbital outpost slated for 2026.