Peggy Whitson leads global Ax-4 crew

NASA retiree and private astronaut Peggy Whitson launched on her fifth orbital flight alongside crewmates from India, Poland, and Hungary, marking their countries' first visit to the International Space Station (ISS). The four-member crew lifted off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida as part of Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), organized by Texas-based startup Axiom Space in collaboration with Elon Musk's SpaceX. The crew was transported aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule atop a Falcon 9 rocket, which streaked into the night sky, leaving a brilliant plume of exhaust.

This mission signifies a historic return to human spaceflight for India, Poland, and Hungary after over four decades. The crew includes Peggy Whitson (USA), a veteran astronaut and mission commander making her fifth spaceflight; Shubhanshu Shukla (India), an Indian Air Force Group Captain and pilot, who becomes the first Indian astronaut to visit the ISS; Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski (Poland), a European Space Agency project astronaut conducting experiments related to AI, neuroscience, and space medicine; and Tibor Kapu (Hungary), a mechanical engineer representing Hungary's first astronaut since 1980.

The mission is planned to last up to 14 days aboard the ISS, during which the crew will conduct approximately 60 scientific activities, including research in microgravity's impact on glucose levels and insulin devices, potentially benefiting diabetes patients. The crew also brought a plush baby swan named "Joy" as a zero-gravity indicator, symbolizing unity among their nations. The launch has inspired educational institutions and the public in the astronauts' home countries, with events like a live 'Watch Party' in India celebrating Shukla's journey. This mission underscores the growing role of commercial partnerships in space exploration and the expanding opportunities for international collaboration in low-Earth orbit.