The launch of the highly anticipated Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission, which will carry Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla and three other international astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS), has been postponed to June 11, 2025, due to unfavourable weather conditions at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) announced that the mission, originally scheduled for June 10, will now target a lift-off at 5:30 PM IST on June 11.

This delay marks the third postponement for the Ax-4 mission, which had previously been rescheduled from its initial May 29 launch date, then to June 8, and subsequently to June 10, primarily due to weather-related concerns and technical preparations. SpaceX, responsible for the Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft, cited high winds in the ascent corridor as the immediate cause for the latest delay.

The Ax-4 mission is a landmark in international space collaboration, bringing together astronauts from India, Poland, Hungary, and the United States. Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, serving as mission pilot, will become the second Indian to travel to space and the first to conduct research aboard the ISS, marking India's return to human spaceflight after 41 years since Rakesh Sharma’s historic 1984 mission. 

The crew also includes Commander Peggy Whitson (USA), Mission Specialist Sławosz Uznański (Poland/ESA), and Mission Specialist Tibor Kapu (Hungary/ESA).

The Ax-4 mission, also known as Mission Akash Ganga, is a collaborative effort between Axiom Space, NASA, SpaceX, and ISRO. It represents the first government-sponsored human spaceflight for India, Poland, and Hungary in over four decades and the first time astronauts from all three nations will conduct a mission aboard the ISS. The mission’s 14-day stay on the ISS will focus on an unprecedented portfolio of around 60 scientific studies and activities, representing 31 countries and emphasizing research in microgravity, Earth observation, and biological sciences.

ISRO has highlighted the strategic significance of this mission, both for advancing India's own Gaganyaan program and for fostering international cooperation in space research. The Indian government has allocated ₹550 crore for its participation in the Ax-4 program, underscoring the importance of global partnerships in space exploration.

Group Captain Shukla, currently in pre-launch quarantine, expressed his excitement and sense of responsibility, stating that he hopes his journey will inspire a new generation in India and ignite curiosity among young minds. He emphasized the camaraderie among the international crew and the historic nature of their shared mission.

The Ax-4 mission stands as a testament to the growing role of commercial and government partnerships in expanding human presence in low-Earth orbit, and its successful launch will mark a new chapter for India and its partners in the global space community.

Agencies