AXIOM-4 mission to International Space Station (ISS) launches on 25 June 2025 with IAF’s Shubhanshu Shukla

1. About Axiom-4 Mission

• Axiom-4 Mission (Ax-4) is the fourth commercial crewed spaceflight into the International Space Station (ISS), for operation Axiom Space, which is a U.S.-based private aerospace company.
  
• It was launched on 25th of June 2025 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, using the Crew Dragon C213 capsule.
  
• This is part of Axiom’s broader plan to build the first commercial space station.
  
• Axiom – 1 was launched in April 2022, followed by Axiom – 2 in 2023, and Axiom – 3 in early 2024.
  

2. Objectives of Axiom-4 mission

• Enable commercial activities in low Earth orbit (LEO), including space tourism and private research.
• Show the viability of commercial space stations as a business and scientific platform.
• Strengthen international collaboration in space exploration.
• Suite Ride diabetes/glucose regulation study – Test the viability of humans with diabetes living in microgravity
• Conduct scientific experiments in microgravity, focusing on materials science, biology, Earth observation, and life sciences

3. Crew Members of Axiom-4 Mission

• Peggy Whitson (USA): Mission Commander, veteran NASA astronaut.
  
• Shubhanshu Shukla (India): Pilot, Group Captain in the Indian Air Force – set to become:
  
  • The first Indian astronaut on the ISS.
  • The second Indian in space after Rakesh Sharma (1984).
• Sławosz Uznański‑Wiśniewski (Poland)
• Tibor Kapu (Hungary)

4. Why Axiom-4 mission is Significant for India

• Marks the first time an Indian astronaut visits the ISS.
• Strengthens Indo-US space cooperation.
• India’s presence is represented through both an astronaut and scientific experiments onboard.
• Enhance understanding of biological processes in microgravity and develop strategies for long-duration space missions.
• Boosts India’s stature in the global space community and opens doors for future private-public space collaborations.

5. ISRO’s Important Experiments in Axiom-4 mission

A. Space Agriculture Experiments

• ISRO contributed seed germination experiments (moong and fenugreek) onboard Axiom-4.
  
• These studies test whether Indian crops can grow in microgravity, aiding long-duration space travel and sustainable extraterrestrial farming.
  

B. CROPS Module (Separate Mission – Jan 2025)

• CROPS: Compact Research Module for Orbital Plant Studies, launched independently by ISRO.
  
• Carried LOBIA (black-eyed pea) seeds in a soil-like medium with artificial sunlight and Earth-like atmosphere.
  
• Successful germination within 4 days.
  
• Goals:
  
  1. Establish sustainable food sources for future Mars/Moon missions.
     
  2. Support oxygen-carbon dioxide recycling in closed-loop systems.
     
  3. Boost astronaut mental health via interaction with plants.