Stars Align for India, Poland, Hungary: Trio Returns to Space in Dazzling ISS Mission

In a world space exploration first, India, Poland, and Hungary became the first countries in over 40 years to join human spaceflight by launching astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) for the first time in their history. Axiom Space's Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) with SpaceX and NASA launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, at 12:01 PM IST on June 25, 2025, aboard a new SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft on a Falcon 9 rocket.

 

Key Points :
Historic Crew:

Mission Objectives:

Symbolic Moments:

International Cooperation:

Launch Challenges:

The mission was postponed due to weather, a Falcon 9 fuel leak, and a Russian ISS module issue, which was addressed by NASA-Roscosmos cooperation.

 

Looking Ahead:

For India, Ax-4 is a crucial stepping stone towards its own indigenous manned Gaganyaan mission in 2027.

 

This mission is not only a triumphant return of these nations to human spaceflight but also demonstrates the growing significance of commercial alliances and international cooperation in the new space age.

 

Source: Times of India, NDTV, Space Daily, Reuters, Yahoo Finance, NBC News, Economic Times, Axiom Space, Dawn.