Ankara: The Axiom-4 mission carrying four astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) was successfully launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Wednesday. The spacecraft lifted off at 0631GMT, carrying astronauts from India, Hungary, Poland, and the United States.

According to Anadolu Agency, the crew is scheduled to arrive at the ISS on Thursday. NASA confirmed the schedule in a statement on X. The mission, initially delayed due to technical issues and unfavorable weather conditions, marks a milestone for India as Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla will become the first Indian to visit the ISS. 'Group Captain Shukla is on the way to become the first Indian to go to the International Space Station,' Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote on X, welcoming the launch.

Peggy Whitson, former NASA astronaut and current director of human spaceflight at Axiom Space, is commanding the mission. The two mission specialists on board are European Space Agency project astronaut Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary.

According to SpaceX, the crew will conduct more than 60 scientific experiments and technology demonstrations, focusing on human research, Earth observation, biological studies, and material sciences during their mission aboard the ISS.