Shubhanshu Shukla to dock Dragon with Space Station: When and how to watch it LIVE
Following its successful launch on Wednesday, SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket is on a trajectory to the International Space Station, flying 400 kilometers above Earth.The Ax-4 mission, which carries an international crew including India's Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, marks a significant milestone in commercial human spaceflight and international collaboration.The Ax-4 crew launched from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 12:01 p.m. IST aboard a brand-new SpaceX Dragon capsule named 'Grace.'Liftoff of Ax-4! pic.twitter.com/RHiVFVdnz3— SpaceX (@SpaceX) June 25, 2025advertisementWHEN WILL AX-4 DOCKING HAPPEN?
The Dragon spacecraft is set to dock the Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) spacecraft with the International Space Station (ISS) on Thursday, June 26, at approximately 4:30 p.m. IST.The spacecraft is scheduled to autonomously dock to the space-facing port of the ISS's Harmony module.The mission's crew includes Peggy Whitson, a veteran NASA astronaut commanding the flight, pilot Shubhanshu Shukla representing India, and mission specialists Sawosz Uznaski-Winiewski from Poland and Tibor Kapu from Hungary.HOW TO WATCH AX-4 DOCKING LIVE?Live coverage of the docking will begin on India Today Science around 2:00 p.m. IST on Thursday, allowing viewers worldwide to witness the crew's arrival and welcome ceremony.This mission marks the first time astronauts from India, Poland, and Hungary have conducted a mission aboard the ISS in over 40 years, with Shukla being the first Indian to visit the ISS since Rakesh Sharma's 1984 flight.advertisementDuring their approximately two-week stay, the crew will conduct around 60 scientific experiments from 31 countries, covering fields such as human research, Earth observation, biological sciences, and technology demonstrations.The mission also serves as a stepping stone toward Axiom Space's goal of developing the world's first commercial space station.The docking follows a series of delays caused by weather, a leak in the Falcon 9 rocket, and concerns about a long-standing leak in the ISS's Russian Zvezda module. NASA and Roscosmos assessed the situation and deemed it safe to proceed with the mission, pointing to the strong international cooperation behind the endeavour.- Ends
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an hour ago
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