The Axiom Mission-4 (Ax-4), which will send Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla to the International Space Station (ISS), is now scheduled for launch on June 19, 2025, following a series of technical setbacks and delays. The mission, a collaboration between Axiom Space, SpaceX, NASA, and ISRO, will lift off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.

The launch was initially planned for May 29, 2025, but faced multiple postponements due to various technical issues. The first major delay was caused by an observation in the electrical harness of the Crew Dragon module, followed by further postponements due to Falcon 9 vehicle preparation delays and unfavourable weather conditions.

The most significant setback occurred when a liquid oxygen leak was detected in the Falcon 9 launch vehicle, leading to the indefinite suspension of the mission originally targeted for June 11. SpaceX engineers have since resolved this issue, as confirmed in a coordination meeting involving ISRO, Axiom Space, and SpaceX.

In parallel, Axiom Space and NASA are closely monitoring a pressure anomaly in the Zvezda Service Module, part of the Russian segment of the ISS. While this issue is unrelated to the Ax-4 launch vehicle, it highlights the complex coordination required for international crewed missions.

The Ax-4 crew will be commanded by former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, with Shubhanshu Shukla serving as the pilot. The mission specialists are Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland and Tibor Kapu from Hungary. This 14-day mission is significant for India, as Shukla will become the second Indian astronaut to visit space since Rakesh Sharma’s historic flight in 1984. During the mission, Shukla will conduct seven India-designed experiments and participate in joint studies with NASA, marking a major milestone for India’s human spaceflight program.

The Ax-4 mission is part of Axiom Space’s broader ambition to expand commercial access to low-Earth orbit and eventually establish the world’s first commercial space station. For India, this mission not only represents a technological and scientific achievement but also serves as an inspiration for future generations of scientists and space enthusiasts.

Agencies