US-Led Space Mission Brings 4 Nations Back to Orbit

A historic space mission led by the United States has brought astronauts from India, Poland, and Hungary back to crewed orbit for the first time in decades.

A SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule safely splashed down off the coast of California, completing the 20-day Axiom-4 mission to the International Space Station. The multinational team included former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, Indian Air Force pilot Shubhanshu Shukla, Polish astronaut Slawosz Uznanski (ESA), and Hungarian specialist Tibor Kapu (HUNOR program).

Launched from Florida on June 25, the mission conducted more than 60 scientific experiments aboard the ISS. The return marked SpaceX’s 18th crewed flight and the fourth such trip organized by Texas-based Axiom Space, which plans to build its own commercial space station by the end of the decade.

For countries like India, this mission is seen as a precursor to upcoming national spaceflights, such as India’s Gaganyaan program.

Meanwhile, the mission underscores the rising role of private space firms like SpaceX in shaping the future of global human spaceflight.