Follow Shubhanshu Shukla's Journey to the Space Station in One Click

The Axiom-4 mission, which was launched on SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket with Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla and three other astronauts, eventually took off on Wednesday after numerous delays and postponements.

The mission was launched at 2:31 a.m. EDT (12:01 p.m. IST) from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, beginning its 28-and-a-half-hour trek to the International Space Station. 

The Axiom-4 mission will last 14 days, and the crew will undertake over 60 microgravity experiments.  The ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) regards the Axiom-4 project as a vital step toward its first human space mission, Gaganyaan, which is scheduled to launch in 2027.

Here's how a space fan can keep track of Mr Shukla's spacecraft. 

The spacecraft is currently in orbit, having spent nearly 21 hours and 46 minutes in space.  It is moving at a speed of 26,500 km/h at an altitude of 413 km above the Earth.  The crew is slated to arrive at the ISS at roughly 7 a.m. EST (4:30 p.m. IST).

The Axiom 4 project, which includes Axiom Space, NASA, and SpaceX, is historic for India, Poland, and Hungary, the three countries that have flown astronauts into space in over 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 campaign to assist friendly nations in accessing space. 

Miroslaw Hermaszewski was a Polish astronaut who flew to the Salyut 6 space station in 1978 aboard the Soyuz 30 ship.

Bertalan Farkas was the last Hungarian to travel to space aboard the Soyuz 36 in 1980.

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