The Axiom-4 mission, which includes Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla from ISRO, is set to launch today at 12:01 PM IST toward the International Space Station (ISS), following several delays. SpaceX reported a 90% chance of favorable weather for liftoff, stating that all systems are ready. The mission is being jointly conducted by NASA, Axiom Space, and SpaceX, and will launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida using a new SpaceX Dragon spacecraft atop a Falcon 9 rocket.

The launch had been postponed multiple times due to bad weather, a leak in the Falcon 9 rocket, and issues in the Russian module of the ISS. However, after successful repairs and a technical agreement between NASA and Roscosmos, the mission was cleared to proceed. The spacecraft is expected to dock with the ISS at 4:30 PM IST on June 26.

Shubhanshu Shukla will serve as the pilot, with former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson commanding the mission. During the 14-day stay on the ISS, Shukla will carry out scientific research, particularly focused on food and nutrition, as part of a collaboration between ISRO and the Department of Biotechnology, supported by NASA. The mission will also include planned interactions between the crew and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, school students, and space industry professionals.

Expressing his excitement, Shukla said in a video message that the mission has been a remarkable journey. He called it a chance to be part of something bigger than himself and expressed his hope to inspire curiosity and ambition among children back home in India. For him, even inspiring one young life would mark the mission as a success.