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Axiom-4 astronaut crew: Spacewalker, fighter pilot, skyjumper, & radiation specialist

Axiom-4 astronaut crew: Spacewalker, fighter pilot, skyjumper, & radiation specialist

Time of India26-06-2025
Each Axiom-4 astronaut brings unique expertise, from long-duration spaceflight to cutting-edge engineering, forging ambitious bold frontiers in private
human spaceflight
.
Peggy Whitson
, 65 | Mission Commander
She boasts the most extensive flight record of any American or female astronaut, having spent 675 days in space across three ISS missions and Axiom Mission 2. She twice commanded ISS, performed 10 spacewalks totalling over 60 hours. The first woman to head Nasa's Astronaut Office and to command a private spaceflight, she has a doctorate in biochemistry. With 38 years of service, she now directs human spaceflight at AxiomSpace.
Shubhanshu Shukla, 39 | Mission Pilot
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Shubhanshu Shukla was chosen as one of four astronauts for Isro's
Gaganyaan spaceflight
. Born in 1985, he was commissioned into the IAF fighter wing in 2006 and has amassed over 2,000 flight hours. Selected in 2019 for astronaut training at Star City in Russia, Shukla completed rigorous scientific, technical and survival programmes under Russian tutors.
Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski, 41 | Mission Specialist
Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski, an engineer from Poland, earned a place in ESA's 2022 Astronaut Reserve from over 22,500 applicants. Holding dual master's degrees from Lodz University of Technology and Universite de Nantes, and a doctorate in radiation-tolerant space systems from Aix-Marseille University, he combines academic expertise with practical experience at CERN. As Reliability Expert and later engineer in charge of the Large Hadron Collider, he oversaw continuous operations of the world's most powerful particle accelerator.
Tibor Kapu, 34 | Mission Specialist
Tibor Kapu, a mechanical engineer from Hungary, was selected in 2023 for the Hungarian to Orbit programme from 247 candidates. Born in 1991, he earned bachelor's and master's degrees in mechanical engineering and polymer technology at Budapest University of Technology and Economics. His career spans automotive hybrid battery development, pharmaceutical logistics, and
space radiation protection
research at an aerospace firm. He's an avid skydiver with 38 jumps and half-marathon runner.
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