Jun 25, 2025, 10:15 AM IST |Source: LIVE Blog Shubhanshu Shukla's Axiom-4 Mission Launch Live Updates: The countdown has begun! Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla is all set to lift off into space today, June 25, as part of the highly anticipated Axiom Space Mission 4. The historic launch, scheduled for 12 noon IST (2:31 a.m. EDT), marks India’s major leap in human spaceflight efforts. The crew will take off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, aboard SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, launched by the Falcon 9 rocket. This is a joint mission led by NASA, Axiom Space, SpaceX, ISRO, and the European Space Agency (ESA). Shukla, representing ISRO and the Indian Air Force, will serve as the mission’s pilot, making him the second Indian in space after Rakesh Sharma’s landmark journey in 1984. He will be accompanied by mission commander and former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, and specialists from Poland and Hungary, Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski and Tibor Kapu. The Axiom-4 mission, also dubbed Mission Akash Ganga, was delayed multiple times due to weather and technical setbacks. Initially set for May 29, today’s launch follows rigorous checks by SpaceX and ISRO for maximum safety. The Indian space agency acquired Shukla’s seat on the mission for a reported ₹550 crore, making this India’s first participation in a private international spaceflight mission. The crew will spend about two weeks aboard the International Space Station conducting research and outreach. Docking is expected to take place tomorrow, June 26, at 4:30 PM IST. Stay tuned for all live updates and coverage as India prepares to send its second astronaut to space.