India, Poland, and Hungary launched their first astronauts in over 40 years on a private mission to the International Space Station (ISS) from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Wednesday. Organized by Axiom Space, the two-week mission cost over $65 million per astronaut. The launch was delayed by two weeks due to concerns about a space station leak. The Falcon rocket carried four astronauts: Peggy Whitson, the United States’ most experienced astronaut; Shubhanshu Shukla from India; Tibor Kapu from Hungary; and Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland.
The crew is set to arrive at the ISS the following day and will conduct numerous experiments while also bringing food that highlights their national cuisines, including Indian curry, Hungarian paprika, and Polish pierogies. Veteran astronaut Bertalan Farkas, Hungary’s first astronaut, hailed the mission as crucial for international cooperation in space.
The astronauts reflect a new era for their countries, as all three were born after their nations’ initial spaceflights. Shukla aims to inspire a new generation in India, emphasizing his mission is representative of 1.4 billion people. Whitson, who missed her induction into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame due to flight preparations, plays a pivotal role as commander.
NASA’s evolving stance supports the inclusion of private missions, with the agency facilitating commercial access to space. This marks Axiom’s fourth chartered flight to the ISS since 2022, promoting a collaborative future where space exploration becomes accessible to more nations and private enterprises, echoing sentiments from Uznanski-Wisniewski and Kapu about aspiring to “sit at the same table with the giants.”
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