Florida [US], July 26 (ANI): The International Space Station is bracing for the docking of the astronaut mission, Axiom Mission 4. The Dragon spacecraft is ahead of schedule and may autonomously dock at approximately 6:18 a.m. EDT (3:48 pm IST) on Thursday, to the space-facing port of the space station's Harmony module.

Former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, ESA (European Space Agency) astronauts Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland, and Tibor Kapu of Hungary lifted off at 2:31 a.m. EDT on June 25, on the SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Centre in Florida.

Once docked, the private astronauts plan to spend about two weeks aboard the orbiting laboratory, conducting a mission comprised of science, outreach, and commercial activities. The mission is sending the first ISRO astronaut to the station as part of a joint effort between NASA and the Indian space agency. The private mission also carries the first astronauts from Poland and Hungary to stay aboard the space station.

Earlier, in a live interaction from aboard the spacecraft, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, serving as the mission pilot, described the launch as 'magical' and reflected on his journey.

'I am thrilled to be here with my fellow astronauts--what a ride it was. Honestly, as I sat in the capsule 'Grace' on the launchpad yesterday after 30 days of quarantine, all I could think was: just go. When the launch finally happened, it was something else entirely. You're pushed back into the seat--and then suddenly, there's silence. You're just floating in the vacuum, and it's absolutely magical,' Shukla said.

He expressed gratitude to the mission team, calling the experience a 'collective achievement.'

'I truly appreciate the efforts of each and every individual who made this journey possible. It's not just a personal accomplishment--it belongs to all of us,' he said.

The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft lifted off from NASA's Kennedy Space Centre at noon IST on Wednesday with Shukla, Whitson, Uznanski-Wisniewski, and Kapu onboard.

NASA Flight Engineers Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers are monitoring Dragon's automated approach and docking manoeuvres. Upon arrival, the Ax-4 crew will be welcomed by the seven-member Expedition 73 team and take part in a safety briefing.

The Ax-4 team will remain aboard the ISS for up to 14 days, engaging in science experiments, outreach, and commercial work.This marks Axiom Space's most research-intensive mission yet, with NASA and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) jointly conducting experiments on muscle regeneration, edible microalgae growth, survival of aquatic microorganisms, and human interaction with digital displays in microgravity. (ANI)