NASA to Provide Coverage of Axiom Mission 4 Departure from Station

NASA will provide live coverage of the Axiom Mission 4 private astronaut mission’s departure from the International Space Station, starting at 4:30 a.m. EDT on July 14.
The four-member crew, including Peggy Whitson and Shubhanshu Shukla, will undock from the space-facing port of the station’s Harmony module aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft at approximately 7:05 a.m. EDT.
The mission is part of a collaboration between NASA and ISRO (Indian Space Research Organization), with the private crew carrying out five joint science investigations and two in-orbit science, technology, engineering, and mathematics demonstrations.
The Axiom Mission 4 will return to Earth with over 580 pounds of cargo, including NASA hardware and data from more than 60 experiments conducted throughout the mission.
NASA’s coverage will be available on various platforms, including NASA+, SpaceX channels, and the company’s website, with a focus on the crew’s departure operations and the spacecraft’s re-entry and splashdown off the coast of California.

The Axiom Mission 4 and Expedition 73 crews, join together and smile for a group portrait inside the International Space Station's Harmony module. In the front row (from left) are Ax-4 crewmates Tibor Kapu, Peggy Whitson, Shubhanshu Shukla, and Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski with Expedition 73 crewmates Anne McClain and Takuya Onishi. In the rear are, Expedition 73 crewmates Alexey Zubritskiy, Kirill Peskov, Sergey Ryzhikov, Jonny Kim, and Nichole Ayers.

The Axiom Mission 4 and Expedition 73 crews join together for a group portrait inside the International Space Station’s Harmony module. In the front row (from left) are Ax-4 crewmates Tibor Kapu, Peggy Whitson, Shubhanshu Shukla, and Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski with Expedition 73 crewmates Anne McClain and Takuya Onishi. In the rear are, Expedition 73 crewmates Alexey Zubritskiy, Kirill Peskov, Sergey Ryzhikov, Jonny Kim, and Nichole Ayers.

Credit: NASA

NASA will provide live coverage of the undocking and departure of the Axiom Mission 4 private astronaut mission from the International Space Station.

The four-member astronaut crew is scheduled to undock from the space-facing port of the station’s Harmony module aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft at approximately 7:05 a.m. EDT Monday, July 14, pending weather, to begin their return to Earth and splashdown off the coast of California.

Coverage of departure operations will begin with hatch closing at 4:30 a.m. on NASA+. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of platforms, including social media.

Peggy Whitson, former NASA astronaut and director of human spaceflight at Axiom Space, ISRO (Indian Space Research Organization) astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, ESA (European Space Agency) project astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski of Poland, and HUNOR (Hungarian to Orbit) astronaut Tibor Kapu of Hungary, will have spent about two weeks in space at the conclusion of their mission.

The Dragon spacecraft will return with more than 580 pounds of cargo, including NASA hardware and data from over 60 experiments conducted throughout the mission.

NASA’s coverage is as follows (all times Eastern and subject to change based on real-time operations):

Monday, July 14

4:30 a.m. – Hatch closing coverage begins on NASA+.

4:55 a.m. – Crew enters spacecraft followed by hatch closing.

6:45 a.m. – Undocking coverage begins on NASA+, Axiom Space, and SpaceX channels.

7:05 a.m. – Undocking

NASA’s coverage ends approximately 30 minutes after undocking when space station joint operations with Axiom Space and SpaceX conclude. Axiom Space will resume coverage of Dragon’s re-entry and splashdown on the company’s website.

A collaboration between NASA and ISRO allowed Axiom Mission 4 to deliver on a commitment highlighted by President Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to send the first ISRO astronaut to the station. The space agencies participated in five joint science investigations and two in-orbit science, technology, engineering, and mathematics demonstrations. NASA and ISRO have a long-standing relationship built on a shared vision to advance scientific knowledge and expand space collaboration.

The private mission also carried the first astronauts from Poland and Hungary to stay aboard the space station.

The International Space Station is a springboard for developing a low Earth orbit economy. NASA’s goal is to achieve a strong economy off the Earth where the agency can purchase services as one of many customers to meet its science and research objectives in microgravity. NASA’s commercial strategy for low Earth orbit provides the government with reliable and safe services at a lower cost, enabling the agency to focus on Artemis missions to the Moon in preparation for Mars while also continuing to use low Earth orbit as a training and proving ground for those deep space missions.

Learn more about NASA’s commercial space strategy at:

https://www.nasa.gov/commercial-space

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Claire O’Shea
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1100
claire.a.o’shea@nasa.gov

Anna Schneider
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111
anna.c.schneider@nasa.gov

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Last Updated

Jul 11, 2025

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Q. When will NASA provide live coverage of the Axiom Mission 4 departure from the International Space Station?

A. NASA will provide live coverage starting at 4:30 a.m. EDT on July 14, with hatch closing and undocking operations.

Q. Who are the four members of the Axiom Mission 4 private astronaut mission crew?

A. The crew consists of Peggy Whitson (former NASA astronaut), Shubhanshu Shukla (ISRO astronaut), Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski (ESA project astronaut from Poland), and Tibor Kapu (HUNOR astronaut from Hungary).

Q. What is the expected weight of cargo that will be returned to Earth on the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft?

A. The Dragon spacecraft will return with more than 580 pounds of cargo, including NASA hardware and data from over 60 experiments conducted throughout the mission.

Q. When is the Axiom Mission 4 crew scheduled to undock from the International Space Station?

A. The crew is scheduled to undock at approximately 7:05 a.m. EDT on July 14, pending weather conditions.

Q. What is the significance of this private astronaut mission for NASA and ISRO?

A. This mission marks a collaboration between NASA and ISRO, allowing Axiom Mission 4 to deliver on a commitment highlighted by President Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to send the first ISRO astronaut to the station.

Q. How many joint science investigations did NASA and ISRO participate in for this mission?

A. The space agencies participated in five joint science investigations and two in-orbit science, technology, engineering, and mathematics demonstrations.

Q. What is the purpose of the International Space Station as a springboard for developing a low Earth orbit economy?

A. The International Space Station serves as a springboard for developing a low Earth orbit economy, enabling NASA to purchase services at a lower cost and focus on Artemis missions to the Moon in preparation for Mars.

Q. Who will resume coverage of Dragon’s re-entry and splashdown after NASA’s coverage ends?

A. Axiom Space will resume coverage of Dragon’s re-entry and splashdown on their website.

Q. What is the significance of this mission for the development of a low Earth orbit economy?

A. This mission marks an important step in developing a low Earth orbit economy, allowing NASA to purchase services at a lower cost and focus on Artemis missions to the Moon in preparation for Mars.

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