A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched Axiom Space’s Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) with four crew members aboard to the International Space Station from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at Kennedy Space Center at 2:31 a.m. on 25 June 2025. Following stage separation, Falcon 9’s first stage landed on Landing Zone 1 (LZ-1) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

During their time on the orbiting laboratory, the crew will conduct more than 60 scientific experiments and demonstrations focused on human research, Earth observation, and life, biological, and material sciences.

The Ax-4 mission will “realize the return” to human spaceflight for India, Poland, and Hungary, with each nation’s first and only government-sponsored flight taking place more than 40 years ago.

While Ax-4 marks their second human spaceflight mission in history, it will be the first time all three nations will execute a mission on board the ISS. This historic mission underscores how Axiom Space is redefining the pathway to low-Earth orbit (LEO) and elevating national space programs globally.

The Ax-4 mission stands as a beacon of opportunity with each country poised to leverage this mission to advance their national space programs.

Unique to this mission, there is a strong focus on scientific portfolios, emphasizing the importance of commercial and academic partnerships, as Axiom Space leads the creation of a global research community and sustainable economic ecosystem in LEO. This mission also lays the groundwork for Axiom Station, the first commercial space station, which will offer a permanent platform for research, manufacturing, and human spaceflight. IMAGE CREDIT: SPACEX