Track Shubhanshu Shukla's Journey To Space Station With One Click

The Axiom-4 mission, aboard SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket, carrying Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla and three other astronauts, finally lifted off on Wednesday after facing multiple delays and postponements.

The mission was launched at 2:31 am EDT (12:01 pm IST) from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida to commence its 28-and-a-half-hour journey to the International Space Station (ISS).

The Axiom-4 mission will last 14 days, during which the crew will conduct more than 60 experiments related to microgravity research. The ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) sees the Axiom-4 mission as an important step towards its first-ever human space mission, called Gaganyaan, expected to launch by 2027.

If you're a space enthusiast who wants to keep track of where Mr Shukla's spacecraft is, here's how you can do it.

The spacecraft is currently in orbit and has already spent over 21 hours and 46 minutes in space. It is travelling at a speed of 26,500 km/h at an altitude of 413 km above Earth. The crew is expected to reach the ISS at around 7 am EST (4:30 pm IST).

Viewers can track the mission live here.

The Axiom 4 mission, which involves Axiom Space, NASA, and SpaceX, is historic for India, Poland, and Hungary - the three countries that sent their astronauts to space in nearly 50 years.

Rakesh Sharma, an Indian Air Force pilot, was the last Indian to travel to the Salyut 7 space station in 1984 as part of a Soviet-led initiative to help friendly nations access Space.

For Poland, it was Miroslaw Hermaszewski, who travelled to the Salyut 6 space station aboard the Soyuz 30 capsule in 1978.

Bertalan Farkasm was the last Hungarian to go to space, aboard the Soyuz 36, in 1980.

Shubhanshu Shukla, moments after lift-off, said, "What a fantastic ride" in Hindi. "This isn't just the start of my journey to the International Space Station - it is the beginning of India's human space programme," he added.