June 24 (UPI) — NASA, SpaceX and Axiom Space are targeting an early Wednesday launch window for their Axiom-4 mission launch that will take four astronauts, on what will be the fourth private commercial mission, to the International Space Station.
Ax-4 is scheduled to lift off at 2:31 a.m. EDT on Wednesday from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. A backup launch window will also be available at 2:09 a.m. on Thursday.
“All systems are looking good for Wednesday’s launch of Axiom Space’s Ax-4 mission to the Space Station and weather is 90% favorable for liftoff,” SpaceX wrote Tuesday in a post on X.
All systems are looking good for Wednesday’s launch of @Axiom_Space’s Ax-4 mission to the @Space_Station and weather is 90% favorable for liftoff. Webcast starts at 12:30 a.m. ET → https://t.co/6RXoybzInV pic.twitter.com/988o685PVF— SpaceX (@SpaceX) June 24, 2025
The Axiom-4 astronauts include Pilot Shubhanshu Shukla from India, Commander Peggy Whitson from the United States and Mission Specialists Slawosz Uzanański-Wiśniewksi from Poland and Tibor Kapu from Hungary.
“With a culturally diverse crew, we are not only advancing scientific knowledge but also fostering international collaboration,” said Whitson in a quote from the Axiom Space website.
“Beautiful shot of our launch vehicle waiting patiently to take us to space,” Whitson added in a post Tuesday morning.
Beautiful shot of our launch vehicle waiting patiently to take us to space. #Ax4 pic.twitter.com/fmGlhrPExH— Peggy Whitson (@AstroPeggy) June 24, 2025
The Axiom-4 mission has been repeatedly delayed after a first launch was scrubbed earlier this month due to high winds and a second one was called off after SpaceX detected a liquid oxygen leak in its Falcon 9 rocket.
The launch was scrubbed again Sunday to ensure ISS was ready to receive the new crew members, according to NASA. The station’s orbital laboratory’s Zvezda service module was recently repaired. NASA was reviewing data to make sure all systems were ready to handle additional people.
Axiom Space, which is based in Houston, is building the first commercial space station, which is scheduled to deploy sometime before 2030.
The Axiom-4 mission is scheduled to last 14 days. The crew will conduct 60 scientific experiments and demonstrations “focused on human research, Earth observation and life, biological and material sciences,” according to SpaceX.
“Up next: Falcon 9 will launch Axiom Space’s Ax-4 mission to the Space Station.”
Up next: Falcon 9 will launch @Axiom_Space’s Ax-4 mission to the @Space_Station no earlier than Wednesday, June 25 from pad 39A in Florida → https://t.co/LU1wyD8uZ0 pic.twitter.com/p2sXnMCEiR— SpaceX (@SpaceX) June 24, 2025
