Axiom-4 Back on Earth After 20 Days in Space

The international Axiom-4 private astronaut crew splashed down off the coast of California early this morning.  After an almost two-week launch delay, Axiom Commander Peggy Whitson and astronauts from India, Poland and Hungary finally launched on June 25 and then spent 20 days in space, 18 aboard the International Space Station.

SpaceX’s Crew Dragon Grace with the Axiom-4 crew aboard splashed down at 2:31 am Pacific Daylight Time (5:31 am Eastern). Infrared imagery captured the nighttime descent.

 

They landed off the coast of San Diego, one of SpaceX’s three splashdown locations for both crews and cargo now that they’ve been moved from coastal Florida. The change was made so SpaceX can ensure that any surviving pieces of Dragon’s trunk, which separates during reentry, end up in the ocean and not on land. That happened several times as catalogued by Jonathan McDowell of Jonathan’s Space Report. The Fram2 private astronaut mission in April was the first Crew Dragon to land near California. Cargo Dragons did in the past, but in 2020 SpaceX moved all Dragon splashdowns to Florida so the reusable capsules were closer to their launch sites. They’ve lost that advantage now, but then again the weather is more stable in southern California.

All four astronauts were soon aboard SpaceX’s recovery ship. Whitson was first out. A renowned former NASA astronaut who now works for Axiom, this was her fifth spaceflight — three while at NASA and two with Axiom. She’s accumulated 695 days in space, the most of any American astronaut and the most for any woman. A biologist, she has commanded the ISS twice and also holds the record for most spacewalks by a woman (10).

.#Ax4 Commander @AstroPeggy arrives back on Earth, and now with 695 days, she extends her record once again for the most cumulative time in space by an American astronaut. pic.twitter.com/P1774ifcc5

— Axiom Space (@Axiom_Space) July 15, 2025

She was followed in turn by Pilot Shubhanshu Shukla (India) and mission specialists Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski (ESA/Poland) and Tibor Kapu (Hungary).

.#Ax4 Pilot Shubhanshu Shukla has made history as the first astronaut from India to conduct a mission aboard the International Space Station, inspiring the next generation of explorers. @isro pic.twitter.com/wCMZ3yD9WW

— Axiom Space (@Axiom_Space) July 15, 2025

.#Ax4 Mission Specialist @astro_slawosz is back on Earth following over a two-week mission filled with significant research as an @esa project astronaut, making history as Poland’s first astronaut to go to the International Space Station. @POLSA_GOV_PL pic.twitter.com/S6CBqE2KjD

— Axiom Space (@Axiom_Space) July 15, 2025

After years of astronaut candidate training, #Ax4 Mission Specialist Tibor Kapu makes history as the first Hungarian astronaut to journey to the International Space Station. pic.twitter.com/q7D0hLw6w3

— Axiom Space (@Axiom_Space) July 15, 2025

Shukla is one of the four Indian astronauts chosen for India’s Gaganyaan human spaceflight program. Uznański-Wiśniewski is a member of ESA’s reserve astronaut corps. Kapu is part of the Hungarian Astronaut to Orbit or HUNOR program. Each is the first astronaut from their respective countries to fly to space in more than 40 years.

Their launch was delayed for almost two weeks while NASA and Roscosmos assessed the results of efforts to plug long-standing air leaks in a transfer tunnel in the Russian segment that leads to a docking port.  The launch was planned for June 10 so the crew entered quarantine on May 25.  At first launch was delayed because of weather and then because SpaceX had to fix a liquid oxygen leak on the Falcon 9 rocket. Hours after SpaceX said the rocket was ready to go on June 12, NASA delayed the launch. They originally gave a go-ahead for June 17, then pushed it to June 22 and finally to June 25.  The crew had to remain in quarantine all that time.

They docked with the ISS on June 26 and undocked on July 14, splashing down about 22.5 hours later.  Each crew member conducted a variety of scientific experiments and enjoyed the view of Earth from ISS’s cupola during their 18 days on the space station.

This was the first flight of this particular Crew Dragon capsule. SpaceX has four other reusable capsules: Endeavour, Resilience, Endurance, and Freedom. A capsule’s first crew gets to give it a name and Axiom-4 chose Grace for this one. Whitson explained why after reaching orbit and later in a blog post. From orbit she said:

“Grace is more than a name. It reflects the elegance with which we move through space against the backdrop of Earth. It speaks to the refinement of our mission, the harmony of science and spirit, and the unmerited favor we carry with humility. Grace reminds us that spaceflight is not just a feat of engineering, but an act of goodwill for the benefit of every human everywhere.”

In a blog post, she shared additional comments referencing their Zero-G Indicator, a plush baby swan named Joy.

“And we are not alone. With us travels ‘Joy’ — a swan, a symbol of beauty, unity, and the shared dreams that lift us beyond our world. Joy inspires us to look outward with wonder and inward with hope. Together, Grace and Joy embody the essence of this mission: to explore with purpose, to connect with compassion, and to dream without limits. As we glide through space, may we carry with us the spirit of Grace, the lightness of Joy, and the boundless possibilities that await us.”