SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule roared into history books Wednesday, carrying astronauts from India, Poland, and Hungary to the International Space Station (ISS) – the first such mission for these nations in decades. 🌍✨ The Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) launched from Florida’s Kennedy Space Center atop a Falcon 9 rocket, blending Cold War-era space legacy with 21st-century innovation.
Meet the trailblazers:
🇮🇳 Shubhanshu Shukla (India’s first astronaut since 1984!)
🇵🇱 Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski (Poland’s modern-day space pioneer)
🇭🇺 Tibor Kapu (Hungary’s cosmic debutant)
🇺🇸 Commander Peggy Whitson (NASA legend turned Axiom Space leader)
Fun fact: When these countries last sent people to space (via Soviet missions), today’s astronauts weren’t even born! The crew will conduct experiments during their 14-day ISS stay – a major leap for private spaceflight. 🛰️
The mission faced delays due to technical hiccups and even weathered an online feud between Elon Musk and former U.S. President Donald Trump. Meanwhile, the new Crew Dragon capsule earned its name “Grace” mid-flight – because even rockets need a little elegance. 💫
