Ax-4 mission to ISS launches with Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla

The Axiom mission will be the second human spaceflight for an astronaut from India. The first was in 1984, when Rakesh Sharma made his way to space on a Soviet spacecraft. While Captain Shukla is not the first Indian astronaut, his trip to orbit is an important step in his country's pursuit of a new era in spaceflight.

The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft carrying the Axiom Mission 4 crew launches atop the Falcon 9 rocket from NASA's Kennedy Space Center to the International Space Station.

The Ax-4 crew will arrive and dock to the International Space Station before being greeted by NASA's Expedition Crew for the welcome ceremony. This begins their 14-day mission on the orbiting laboratory conducting microgravity research, technology demonstrations, and outreach engagements.