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NASA, Axiom Space, and SpaceX are targeting 2:31 a.m. EDT, Wednesday, June 25, for launch of the fourth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, Axiom Mission 4.<\/p>\n
The mission will lift off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA\u2019s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The crew will travel to the orbiting laboratory on a new SpaceX Dragon spacecraft after launching on the company\u2019s Falcon 9 rocket. The targeted docking time is approximately 7 a.m. Thursday, June 26.<\/p>\n
This launch opportunity comes after NASA and Roscosmos officials discussed the status of the recent repair work in the transfer tunnel at the aft (back) most segment of the orbital laboratory\u2019s Zvezda service module. Based on the evaluations, NASA and Roscosmos agreed to further lower the pressure in the transfer tunnel to 100 millimeters of mercury, and teams will continue to evaluate going forward. Safety remains a top priority for NASA and Roscosmos.<\/p>\n
\u201cNASA and Roscosmos have a long history of cooperation and collaboration on the International Space Station. This professional working relationship has allowed the agencies to arrive at a shared technical approach and now Axiom Mission 4 launch and docking will proceed,\u201d said acting NASA Administrator Janet Petro. \u201cWe look forward to the launch with Axiom Space and SpaceX for this commercial international mission.\u201d<\/p>\n
For this mission, NASA is responsible for integrated operations, which begins during the spacecraft\u2019s approach to the space station, continues during the crew\u2019s stay aboard the orbiting laboratory conducting science, education, and commercial activities, and concludes once the spacecraft departs the station.<\/p>\n
Live coverage of launch and arrival activities will stream on NASA+. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of platforms, including social media.<\/p>\n
Peggy Whitson, former NASA astronaut and director of human spaceflight at Axiom Space, will command the commercial mission, while ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla will serve as pilot. The two mission specialists are ESA (European Space Agency) project astronaut S\u0142awosz Uzna\u0144ski-Wi\u015bniewski of Poland, and HUNOR (Hungarian to Orbit) astronaut Tibor Kapu of Hungary.<\/p>\n
Once docked, the private astronauts plan to spend about two weeks aboard the orbiting laboratory, conducting a mission comprised of science, outreach, and commercial activities.<\/p>\n
As part of a collaboration between NASA and ISRO, Axiom Mission 4 delivers on a commitment highlighted by President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to send the first ISRO astronaut to the station. The space agencies are participating in five joint science investigations and two in-orbit STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) demonstrations. NASA and ISRO have a long-standing relationship built on a shared vision to advance scientific knowledge and expand space collaboration.<\/p>\n
The private mission also carries the first astronauts from Poland and Hungary to stay aboard the International Space Station.<\/p>\n
NASA\u2019s mission coverage is as follows (all times Eastern and subject to change based on real-time operations):<\/p>\n
Wednesday, June 25<\/strong><\/p>\n 12:30 a.m. \u2013 Axiom Space and SpaceX launch coverage begins.<\/p>\n 1:40 a.m. \u2013 NASA joins the launch coverage on NASA+.<\/p>\n 2:31 a.m. \u2013 Launch<\/p>\n NASA will end coverage following orbital insertion, which is approximately 15 minutes after launch. As it is a commercial launch, NASA will not provide a clean launch feed on its channels.<\/p>\n Thursday, June 26<\/strong><\/p>\n 5 a.m. \u2013 Arrival coverage begins on NASA+, Axiom Space, and SpaceX channels.<\/p>\n 7 a.m. \u2013 Targeted docking to the space-facing port of the station\u2019s Harmony module.<\/p>\n Arrival coverage will continue through hatch opening and welcome remarks.<\/p>\n All times are estimates and could be adjusted based on real-time operations after launch. Follow the space station blog for the most up-to-date operations information.<\/p>\n The International Space Station is a springboard for developing a low Earth economy. NASA\u2019s goal is to achieve a strong economy off the Earth where the agency can purchase services as one of many customers to meet its science and research objectives in microgravity. NASA\u2019s commercial strategy for low Earth orbit provides the government with reliable and safe services at a lower cost, enabling the agency to focus on Artemis missions to the Moon in preparation for Mars while also continuing to use low Earth orbit as a training and proving ground for those deep space missions.<\/p>\n Learn more about NASA\u2019s commercial space strategy at:<\/p>\n