HUNOR, the Hungarian space program, focuses on research projects in dosimetry, space nutrition, life sciences, as well as human biology.Continue reading
The Ax-4 mission, including Hungarian Tibor Kapu among its crew, is scheduled to launch on June 8 at the earliest, NASA and Axiom Space announced. The crew of four was originally scheduled to be launched at CET 7:03 p.m. on May 29 from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
A statement from NASA says that the International Space Station (ISS) flight schedule has been reviewed, with the U.S. space agency and its partners deciding to change the launch options for several upcoming missions, including the Axiom Space’s fourth private mission Ax-4.
The schedule adjustments provide more time to finalize mission plans, spacecraft readiness, and logistics,
they explained.
Axiom Space’s fourth private mission has thus been moved from May 29 to June 8 EDT 9:11 a.m.
New Date
The #Ax4 crew is scheduled to launch to the International Space Station on June 8 at 9:11am EDT from Florida. https://t.co/qDNK7xKIqe— Axiom Space (@Axiom_Space) May 14, 2025
Tibor Kapu will be Hungary’s second astronaut, therefore the mission is particularly special from a Hungarian perspective. The last time a Hungarian was in space was in 1980, almost 45 years ago.
As reported by Hungary Today, the second Hungarian astronaut was selected within the framework of the HUNOR – Hungarian into Space program. A total of 240 people applied for the mission, of which the list was later narrowed down to four candidates. The candidates underwent extensive training and tests, and the selected astronaut and his reserve, Gyula Cserényi, were named in spring last year.
In addition to Kapu, the mission crew includes U.S. Commander Peggy Whitson, Polish Mission Specialist Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski, and Indian pilot Shubanshu Shukla.
The Ax-4 astronauts will be carried to the ISS by the Falcon 9 rocket, manufactured by Elon Musk’s SpaceX company.
Now targeting no earlier than Sunday, June 8 for Falcon 9 to launch Ax-4, @Axiom_Space‘s fourth mission to the @Space_Station, from pad 39A in Florida https://t.co/EN5pqUvwK3 pic.twitter.com/03ejCH4mx8
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) May 14, 2025
For a long time, the exact date of the mission was unknown, as it depended heavily on the return of the NASA astronauts stuck on the ISS. After their return in March, the first date of the Ax-4 mission was announced at the end of April, and now, the new targeted date is no earlier than this summer.
Axiom Space will hold a press conference on May 20, at which they will provide a high-level review of mission operations and objectives.
Via nasa.gov, Featured image: MTI/Axiom Space