India, Poland, Hungary Join ISS for First Time
History was made aboard the International Space Station (ISS) this week as astronauts from India, Poland, and Hungary joined the orbital lab for the first time. Thanks to a private space mission led by SpaceX and Axiom Space, these nations are now officially part of humanity’s expanding footprint in space.
A Landmark Launch for Three Nations
The four-member crew lifted off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on Wednesday. Their destination? A two-week mission aboard the ISS, where they’ll carry out a series of scientific experiments. This marks the first crewed ISS visit for these three countries in over four decades — and a major milestone for global space collaboration.
Meet the Crew
At the helm is Peggy Whitson, a record-breaking U.S. astronaut now with Axiom Space. Her crew includes:
Shubhanshu Shukla (India): An Indian Air Force pilot
Tibor Kapu (Hungary): A mechanical engineer
Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski (Poland): A radiation expert and European Space Agency astronaut
None of these countries have had representatives aboard the ISS before. Their last ventures into space date back to the Soviet-era missions of the late 1970s and 1980s.
A Warm Welcome in Orbit
After docking, the new astronauts were greeted with open arms — and drink pouches — by the ISS’s current residents. Eleven astronauts from six nations (U.S., Russia, Japan, India, Hungary, and Poland) now share space, making this a truly international moment in spaceflight.
Kapu noted the growing diversity aboard the station, saying, “Seven of us are first-time flyers, which shows how much space is expanding.”
Long Wait, Big Payoff
The journey wasn’t without delays. The team quarantined starting May 25, awaiting the green light to launch. A recent Russian segment leak repair led NASA to push back the launch to ensure full safety — but the payoff was well worth the wait.
Whitson acknowledged the wait, sharing her joy in finally reaching the station. Japan’s Takuya Onishi, ISS commander, expressed relief and happiness at welcoming the new team.
Axiom’s Growing Role in Private Spaceflight
This is the fourth commercial mission to the ISS sponsored by Axiom Space since 2022. The company, based in Houston, is one of several working to build private space stations that will operate once NASA retires the ISS in 2030.
NASA’s vision for space includes public-private collaboration. This mission reflects that future — where international astronauts, commercial companies, and science-driven goals align in orbit.
Stay tuned to Maple News Wire for more from Earth’s final frontier.
