Today Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) Commander Peggy Whitson, Pilot Shubhanshu Shukla “Shux,” Mission Specialist Sławosz “Suave” Uznański-Wiśniewski, and Mission Specialist Tibor Kapu entered the International Space Station around 8:23 a.m. ET after docking to the Harmony module at 6:31 a.m. ET, soaring high above the North Atlantic. Following around 28 hours of phasing, today officially marks the crew’s second flight day and first day aboard the space station after launching at 2:31 a.m. ET on June 25 from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
A few hours before docking to the space station, the crew conducted an in-flight event in the new Dragon spacecraft named “Grace,” and their fifth crewmember “Joy”, the Ax-4 zero-g indicator, made its debut in microgravity. Shux, Suave, and Tibor had an opportunity to share their thoughts about being in space for the first time. They were excited to share with the world an incredible view of the Earth while flying over Europe. The astronauts are happy, healthy, and eager to begin a full slate of microgravity research, technology demonstrations, and outreach engagements.
Soon after entering the orbiting laboratory, the Ax-4 astronauts were warmly greeted by the Expedition 73 crewmembers and celebrated their arrival during the welcome ceremony. Peggy presented her crewmates with their official astronaut pins and orbital flight numbers: Shukla as the 634th, Uznański-Wiśniewski the 635th, and Kapu the 636th human to orbit Earth.
The Ax-4 crew spent the rest of the day settling in. They set up their sleeping quarters — with Peggy located in the Airlock, Shux in Dragon, Suave in Columbus, and Tibor in the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM). They completed handover activities with the Expedition 73 crew and began acclimating to life in microgravity. Key operational tasks were also completed, including unpacking cargo in Dragon and reviewing emergency protocols.
Over the next 14 days, the Ax-4 crew will carry out around 60 scientific studies and activities representing 31 countries. This marks the most research-intensive mission Axiom Space has conducted aboard the space station, highlighting the mission’s global collaboration and commitment to advancing science in low-Earth orbit.
In addition to their research, the crew will engage in media, educational, and outreach activities to share their journey and inspire future generations of explorers.
Before diving into their busy schedules, the Ax-4 crew will spend the next day acclimating and completing other operational tasks as the newest residents aboard the International Space Station.
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