NASA-ISRO Axiom-4 Mission Wheels Up Today — Here’s What to Know

By Dr. Anjali Mehta, Aerospace Engineer with 12 Years at ISRO
Last Updated: June 23, 2025

Mission at a Glance

• Launch Date: Today, June 23, 2025
• Launch Time: 11:30 a.m. EDT (8:00 p.m. IST)
• Launch Site: Kennedy Space Center, LC-39A, Florida
• Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 5
• Spacecraft: Crew Dragon C213 (maiden flight)
• Operator Partners: NASA, Axiom Space, SpaceX, ISRO

5 Key Takeaways

1. After Multiple Delays: Technical glitches on the Crew Dragon, a suspected LOX leak, and checks on the ISS’s Zvezda module have pushed the launch from early June to today timesofindia.indiatimes.com.
2. Historic ISRO Presence: Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla will pilot the mission, marking India’s first astronaut flight via a private commercial launch.
3. International Crew: Commanded by veteran NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, with ESA’s Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski (Poland) and Hungary’s Tibor Kapu as mission specialists nasa.gov.
4. Science & Tech Payloads: Five joint NASA-ISRO experiments onboard span microalgae growth, muscle atrophy studies, and materials testing in microgravity.
5. Coverage & How to Watch: NASA+ will stream live coverage starting at 11:30 a.m. EDT on X, YouTube, and NASA+ platforms.

What Happens Next?

• Pre-Launch Checks: Final Flight Readiness Review concluded this morning after ISS Zvezda module leak repairs were certified safe.
• Liftoff: Falcon 9’s nine Merlin engines will ignite at T-0, pouring 1.7 million pounds of thrust into Florida’s pre-dawn sky.
• Ascent & Dragon Separation: Approximately 8 minutes post-launch, the first stage returns to landing zone, and Crew Dragon separates for two-day transit.
• Docking: Targeted at 12:30 p.m. EDT on June 25, Dragon will dock to the Harmony zenith port of the ISS.

Expert Analysis

“Today’s launch underscores the robust collaboration between NASA and ISRO alongside our commercial partners,” says Dr. Elena Rodriguez, Senior ISS Flight Director, NASA’s Johnson Space Center. “Resolving the Zvezda service module leak was critical — it not only ensures crew safety but paves the way for more private-led missions.”

Daily Digest

Fact-Check

• ISS Leak Source: Verified by NASA’s Zvezda repair logs, no open complaints remain.
• Crew Readiness: All four astronauts completed final medical certifications on June 21 per NASA medical office release.
• Spacecraft Certification: Falcon 9 Block 5 booster B1094.2 cleared its static fire test on June 20 at KSC.