The highly anticipated Axiom-4 space mission is all set to launch from the Kennedy Space Center at 12:00 PM IST. Just a short while ago, a minor technical glitch was reported, but remarkably, it was resolved within three minutes. The mission will proceed as scheduled aboard the reliable Falcon 9 rocket, developed by Elon Musk’s SpaceX. This 14-day mission to the International Space Station (ISS) includes four astronauts from four different countries: Peggy Whitson (USA, Mission Commander), Subhanshu Shukla (India, Mission Pilot), Swavosh (Poland, Mission Expert), and Tibor Kápházi (Hungary, Mission Expert). For India, this moment is historic — Subhanshu becomes the first Indian in 40 years to travel to space and the first-ever Indian mission pilot on a private spaceflight. Final preparations are underway with the last 45 minutes being crucial: fueling begins 35 minutes prior, and liquid oxygen is loaded in the second stage 16 minutes before liftoff. The Dragon capsule, carrying the astronauts, has already shifted to internal power. Once launched, it will take around 28 hours to reach the ISS, where the crew will conduct multiple scientific experiments. India watches with pride as Subhanshu Shukla prepares to carve his name into space history.
