ISRO’s Shubhanshu Shukla: NASA reveals when Indian astronaut will dock SpaceX Dragon with ISS

Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is set to travel to space as the pilot of Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) on Tuesday, June 10, 2025. Shukla's travel to the International Space Station will make him the first Indian to participate in an international commercial spaceflight to the ISS.

The Ax-4 mission will lift off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The crew will travel aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft using a Falcon 9 rocket. The launch is targeted for 8:22 am EDT (5:52 pm IST). Once the spacecraft reaches the orbit, it will begin a more than 24-hour journey to the ISS.

NASA has recently confirmed that docking is planned for 10:00 pm IST on Wednesday, 11 June. The Dragon spacecraft will autonomously dock to the Harmony module’s space-facing port. The docking will be guided by onboard systems. Once attached, the crew will enter the ISS after hatch opening and initial checks.

Shukla and the other Axiom- 4 crew members will spend approximately 14 days aboard the ISS which is orbiting Earth at an altitude of approximately 400 kms above the surface. During this time, they will conduct about 60 experiments, including seven that are planned by the Indian institutions. These experiments will include studies in science, technology, and human physiology. The mission is also part of a broader collaboration between ISRO and NASA. NASA said, "As part of a collaboration between NASA and ISRO, Axiom Mission 4 delivers on a commitment highlighted by President Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to send the first ISRO astronaut to the station."

The four-member Ax-4 crew includes Peggy Whitson as mission commander. Shubhanshu Shukla will serve as pilot. Two mission specialists will join them: Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski from Poland and Tibor Kapu from Hungary. This marks the first visit to the ISS for astronauts from all three countries.

NASA will stream live coverage of launch and arrival events on its NASA+ platform, as well as on Axiom Space and SpaceX channels. On 11 June, coverage of arrival activities begins at 10:30 am EDT (8:00 pm IST), followed by docking at 12:30 pm EDT (10:00 pm IST), and continues through hatch opening and crew welcome. NASA sees private missions like Ax-4 as part of its long-term plan to establish a commercial presence in low Earth orbit.