India-Hungary-Poland Crew: historic spaceflight to International Space Station (ISS) with a team comprising an Indian, a Hungarian, and a Pole

Blasting Off: A Historic Journey for India, Hungary, and Poland to the ISS

India-Hungary-Poland Crew: historic spaceflight to International Space Station (ISS) with a team comprising an Indian, a Hungarian, and a Pole

Get ready for a space spectacular! The fourth commercial mission by Axiom Space, dubbed Ax-4, is set to launch on Wednesday (14:00 CEST), and it's going to be historic. Three brave astronauts from India, Hungary, and Poland are about to embark on an unforgettable journey to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule blasting off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. But remember, Mother Nature could very well throw a wrench in the works with last-minute weather conditions or other unexpected snags.

Who's joining this cosmic adventure? The three rookie astronauts include Indian Group Captain, Shubhanshu Shukla, code-named "Shuks," Hungarian Tigor Kapu, and Polish astronaut, Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski. They'll be joined by former NASA astronaut, Peggy Whitson, a seasoned space voyager, making this her multiple-time journey to the celestial imagined metropolis.

Here's a quick rundown on our astronauters:

1. Shubhanshu Shukla (India): As the pilot, Shuks is the second Indian to venture into space, following the trailblazing Rakesh Sharma in 1984. He will also be the country's first astronaut to board the ISS, taking a giant leap for India's space exploration.
2. Tigor Kapu (Hungary): Kapu is one of Hungary's astronauts participating in the Ax-4 mission. Little is known about him, but his presence showcases Hungary's renewed enthusiasm for space exploration.
3. Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski (Poland): Uznanski-Wisniewski joins the Ax-4 crew as a Polish astronaut. His journey to the ISS represents Poland's much-anticipated return to space after a considerable hiatus, aligning with the broader mission goals of sponsoring government-backed spaceflights for countries like Poland and Hungary.

The Ax-4 mission crew is expected to spend approximately two weeks aboard the ISS. This marks the fourth commercial space mission by Axiom Space, an American-based company collaborating with NASA and SpaceX, headquartered in Houston, Texas. Axiom Space organized the first private mission to the ISS in 2022, with subsequent missions planned for 2023 and 2024.

The third Axiom mission was the longest commercial spaceflight to date, lasting nearly three weeks. According to news reports, such a flight comes with a hefty price tag of around 70 million euros per passenger.

So fasten your seatbelts and get ready for the ride of a lifetime as these courageous explorers from India, Hungary, and Poland take off to the ISS! It's going to be one heck of a thrilling ride!

Source: ntv.de, dpa

Enrichment Data:For your information, here's some more digging on the astronauts from the historic Ax-4 mission:

Shubhanshu Shukla

• Nationality: Indian
• Background: Shubhanshu Shukla, known by his call sign "Shuks," is a Group Captain and the second Indian to venture into space, following Rakesh Sharma's historic flight in 1984.

Tigor Kapu

• Nationality: Hungarian
• Background: Little detailed information is available on Tigor Kapu, but his involvement in the Ax-4 mission highlights Hungary's renewed interest in space exploration. He is one of the Hungarian astronauts participating in the mission.

Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski

• Nationality: Polish
• Background: Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski is a Polish astronaut who is part of the Ax-4 crew. His participation signifies Poland's return to space after decades, aligning with the mission's broader goals of facilitating government-sponsored spaceflights for countries like Poland and Hungary.

Starting theSPACE-AND-ASTRONOMY mission, the first time for Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, a general-news moment, as he boards the International Space Station (ISS) aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule. Simultaneously, Hungarian astronaut Tigor Kapu, also a newcomer, and Polish astronaut Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski, returning to space after a hiatus, are following suit, representing their respective countries in this historic space-and-astronomy journey. These brave astronauts showcase the blend of science, space-and-astronomy, technology, and general-news, breaking barriers as they go.

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