SpaceXs Fifth and Final Crew Dragon Grace Arrives at ISS with Axiom-4 Private Astronaut Crew
Summary: SpaceXs fifth and final Crew Dragon capsule Grace arrived at the ISS carrying the Axiom-4 private astronaut crew, the last addition to SpaceXs Dragon fleet before Starship.
The crew of Axiom Space's fourth private astronaut mission, Ax-4, has successfully arrived at the International Space Station aboard SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule Grace. The spacecraft launched from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida and docked with the station's Harmony module after approximately 14 hours of flight. Grace is the fifth and final Crew Dragon capsule built by SpaceX, completing the fleet before Starship assumes crewed mission responsibilities.
The four-person crew comprises Commander Peggy Whitson (USA), making her fifth visit to the ISS and one of the most experienced private astronauts; Pilot Shubhanshu Shukla (India), who became the first Indian national to visit the ISS; and Mission Specialists Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski (Poland) and Tibor Kapu (Hungary), both on their maiden spaceflights. Astronauts from India, Poland, and Hungary are each completing their country's first visit to the International Space Station.
The Ax-4 crew plans to remain aboard the station for approximately two weeks, conducting a range of scientific experiments and technology demonstrations. Whitson, who has accumulated over 675 days in orbit across her career, will further extend her record with this mission. At the conclusion of the mission, the crew will return to Earth aboard Grace.