Axiom-4 mission carrying India's Shubhanshu Shukla delayed for 6th time

Nasa has delayed the Axiom-4 mission launch for a sixth time, citing ISS readiness concerns; the crew includes India's Shubhanshu Shukla and marks a milestone for India, Poland, and Hungary

Nasa has once again postponed the launch of the Axiom-4 mission to the International Space Station (ISS). The mission, which includes Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla as part of its four-member crew, was rescheduled for Sunday, June 22. It will now take place on a date to be announced later.

 

Axiom Space said Nasa has decided to stand down from the planned launch of Axiom Mission 4 on Sunday, June 22, and will announce a new launch date in the coming days.

 

The space agency requires additional time to continue assessing operations aboard the International Space Station following recent repair work in the aft-most section of the orbital laboratory's Zvezda service module, it said. 

 

“Given the space station’s complex and interdependent systems, Nasa is taking the necessary time to review data and ensure it is ready to support additional crew members,” Axiom Space said in a statement.

 

Nasa's Axiom-4 mission delayed for sixth time

 

This is the sixth time the mission has been postponed. Originally scheduled for launch on May 29, it was subsequently delayed to June 8, then to June 10, June 11, June 19, and later to June 22 before the most recent deferment.

 

Previous delays were caused by a range of issues, including a delay in the readiness of the Falcon 9 rocket, adverse weather conditions, a liquid oxygen leak, and a technical fault in the space station’s service module. 

 

Ax-4 mission marks historic milestone for India, Poland, Hungary

 

The Ax-4 crew comprises astronauts from India, Poland, and Hungary, marking each nation's first mission to the International Space Station and their first government-sponsored human spaceflight in over 40 years, according to Axiom Space.

 

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla will become India's second astronaut to go to space, following Rakesh Sharma’s mission in 1984. His participation in Axiom Space’s fourth private astronaut mission (Ax-4) marks a key milestone in India’s space collaboration with Nasa. 

 

Axiom Space stated that the Ax-4 mission would “realise the return” to human spaceflight for India, Poland, and Hungary, signalling a historic revival of government-sponsored space missions for all three countries.

 

 Ax-4 crew continues to remain in quarantine in Florida, in line with all established health and safety protocols.