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The Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) crew is training at ESA\u2019s European Astronaut Centre (EAC) in Cologne, Germany, in preparation for their mission to the International Space Station, scheduled for\u00a0no earlier than spring 2025.\u00a0<\/p>\n
From left to right: pilot Shubhanshu Shukla from India, ESA project astronaut and mission specialist\u00a0S\u0142awosz Uzna\u0144ski\u00a0from Poland, and mission specialist Tibor Kapu from Hungary. The crew will fly under the command of Axiom Space\u2019s Chief Astronaut, Peggy Whitson, who participated in\u00a0commercial astronaut training at EAC\u00a0in 2023.\u00a0<\/p>\n
At EAC, the crew is familiarising themselves with ESA systems, including the Columbus module, Europe\u2019s science laboratory on the Space Station. While awaiting final approval from the Multilateral Crew Operations Panel (MCOP), the Ax-4 crew is also training at other international facilities including JAXA in Japan, Axiom Space, NASA, and SpaceX facilities in the US, to ensure readiness across all Space Station systems.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
ESA\u2019s Astronaut Centre is the main training hub for all European-built Space Station hardware and serves as a centre of excellence for astronaut selection, training, medical support, and surveillance, while also providing essential preparation for astronauts and their families throughout their missions.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The\u00a0Columbus laboratory, ESA\u2019s largest contribution to the International Space Station, is the first permanent European research facility in space. This cutting-edge lab offers 75 cubic metres of space, fully equipped with research tools, including ten internationally standardised payload racks. These racks house autonomous laboratories that support diverse scientific experiments in biology, physiology, fluid science, and more. External platforms extend the laboratory\u2019s capabilities, enabling space science and Earth observation experiments. Columbus offers European scientists a unique weightless environment to conduct research that cannot be replicated on Earth, with findings transmitted back via dedicated data links.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n