SpaceX: Axiom-4 Mission Weather 90% Favourable, Launch on June 25

SpaceX's Falcon-9 rocket is set to launch the Axiom-4 mission to the International Space Station on June 25, 2025, with a 90% favorable weather forecast. The mission will carry Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla and three others to the ISS, where they will conduct science, outreach, and commercial activities for about two weeks. The launch has been delayed multiple times due to weather and technical issues, but NASA and Roscosmos officials have now cleared the mission for liftoff.

NASA, Axiom Space, and SpaceX are targeting a 2:31 a.m. EDT launch on Wednesday, June 25, for the fourth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, Axiom Mission 4. The mission will lift off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying a new Dragon spacecraft. The targeted docking time is approximately 7 a.m. Thursday, June 26.

This launch opportunity comes after NASA and Roscosmos officials discussed the status of recent repair work in the transfer tunnel at the aft segment of the orbital laboratory's Zvezda service module. Based on their evaluations, they agreed to further lower the pressure in the transfer tunnel to 100 millimeters of mercury, ensuring crew safety [1].

The mission will be commanded by Peggy Whitson, former NASA astronaut and director of human spaceflight at Axiom Space, with ISRO astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla serving as pilot. The mission specialists include ESA project astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski from Poland and Tibor Kapu from Hungary, representing the HUNOR (Hungarian to Orbit) program. This mission marks the first time astronauts from Poland and Hungary will stay aboard the ISS [2].

The mission includes five joint science investigations and two in-orbit STEM demonstrations, reflecting the agencies' shared vision to advance scientific knowledge and space collaboration. NASA Acting Administrator Janet Petro emphasized the long-standing cooperation between NASA and Roscosmos, enabling the mission to proceed with a shared technical approach [1].

Live coverage of the launch and arrival activities will stream on NASA+. The International Space Station serves as a critical platform for developing a sustainable low Earth orbit economy. NASA's commercial strategy aims to procure reliable and cost-effective services from private partners like Axiom Space, allowing the agency to focus on Artemis missions to the Moon and future Mars exploration. The ISS remains a vital training ground and proving platform for deep space missions [3].

References:
[1] https://www.morningstar.com/news/pr-newswire/20250624ph17545/nasa-sets-coverage-for-axiom-mission-4-launch-arrival-at-station
[2] https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/science/axiom-4-nasa-announces-mission-timeline-falcon-9-will-launch-at-1201-pm-ist-carrying-shubhanshu-shukla-to-iss/articleshow/122054886.cms
[3] https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nasa-sets-coverage-for-axiom-mission-4-launch-arrival-at-station-302490081.html