BENGALURU: The Axiom-4 mission, which was scheduled to carry Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla and three others to the International Space Station (ISS) on Tuesday, has been postponed again, marking the second delay in the launch.
The launch was earlier deferred from 10 June to 11 June due to adverse weather conditions. This time, a Liquid Oxygen (LOx) leak in SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket has caused the delay. The issue remains unresolved, and a new launch date has not yet been announced.
SpaceX confirmed the postponement via X. The Axiom Space social media team said: "Standing down from the Falcon 9 launch of Ax-4 to the Space Station to allow additional time for SpaceX teams to repair the LOx leak identified during post static fire booster inspections. Once complete – and pending Range availability – we will share a new launch date."
Notably, ISRO is collaborating with NASA for the mission. It has invested Rs 550 crore in the project and has deputed Group Captain Shukla, one of the four selected astronauts, as the mission pilot. He has been tasked with docking the spacecraft to the ISS during the 14-day mission.
ISRO Chairman V Narayanan said that, as part of launch vehicle preparations, a seven-second hot test was conducted on the Falcon 9 booster stage at the launch pad. It is understood that LOx leakage was detected in the propulsion bay during the test.
Based on discussions with experts from Axiom and SpaceX, it has been decided to correct the leak and carry out the necessary validation tests before clearing the launch, he said.
Hence, the launch of Axiom-4, earlier slated for 11 June 2025 to send the first Indian Gaganyatri to the ISS, has been postponed, he added.
Shukla will become the first Indian to pilot a spacecraft. Rakesh Sharma, India’s first astronaut in 1984, had not assumed that role.
Apart from Shukla, the crew includes mission commander Peggy Whitson from the United States and project astronauts Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland and Tibor Kapu from Hungary. A fifth companion, Joy -- a plushy swan toy -- will also travel with the crew.
All four astronauts have been in quarantine as part of their pre-launch protocols. They have undergone theoretical training, practical simulations, and ocean splashdown exercises in preparation for their return to Earth.
The crew is expected to conduct 60 scientific experiments on the ISS, including seven led by Shukla. These studies involve contributions from 31 countries, including India, the US, Poland, Hungary, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Nigeria, the UAE, and several European nations. The research will focus on human physiology in space, AI applications, biology, materials science, and human endurance.
Axiom Space said the mission marks the return to human spaceflight for India, Poland, and Hungary—each undertaking its first government-sponsored mission in over 40 years.
Ax-4 will be the second-ever human spaceflight for each of these countries, and their first joint mission aboard the ISS, the company added.
