Indian astronaut group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla’s space station journey has been postponed once again. NASA has postponed the launch of Axiom Mission 4 (AX-4), which was to be held on 22 June 2025. This mission is historic for India, Poland and Hungary, as it will be the first human space flight of these countries after 40 years. But repeated delays have raised questions.
What is Axiom Mission 4?
The Axiaom Mission 4 is a private space flight, which is operating together Achom Space, NASA and SpaceX. In this mission, four astronauts will spend 14 days at the International Space Station (ISS). Where they will experiment related to microgravity and biology. Shubhanshu Shukla of India will play the role of Pilot in this mission.
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Commander Paigi will be Whitsson. The other two passengers are Slavos Ujnansky-Vyshnievski of Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary. Shubhanshu Shukla will be the second astronaut of India, who will go to space after Rakesh Sharma in 1984. India has spent Rs 550 crore for this mission. It is also part of the preparations for the Gaganyaan Mission of India.
Full timeline for delay in launch
The launch of the Axiaom Mission 4 has been postponed several times. It has its full timeline here …
- 29 May 2025: The original launch date of the mission was. But it was postponed due to technical fault in SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket (the problem of electrical harness in the crew dragon module).
- 8 June 2025: The new date was fixed, but due to the delay in preparation of Falcon 9 rocket, it was rejected again.
- 9 June 2025: The launch was postponed for a day due to bad weather.
- 10 June 2025: The launch was again postponed due to bad weather conditions. ISRO conducted a technical review on this day, suggesting that Falcon 9 should be repaired and leaked at a low temperature of liquid oxygen (LOX) leaks.
- 11 June 2025: Along with the problem of liquid oxygen leaks, a new pressure abnormal (pressure signature) was seen in the Zaved Service Module of ISS, due to which the launch was averted again.
- 19 June 2025: ISRO confirmed that Falcon 9’s liquid oxygen leak problem was solved. The new launch date was fixed June 19. But NASA stated the need for further investigation after recent repair in Zweeda module, due to which this date was also canceled.
- 22 June 2025: NASA declared June 22 as a new launch date, but was again postponed due to repairing Zajda module and being required to review the data. Now the new date will be announced soon.
Due to delay in launch
There are many reasons for repeated delays in the launch of Axiom Mission 4 …
Technical fault in Falcon 9 rocket: The launch in May and June was postponed several times as SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket had a liquid oxygen leak problem. ISRO suggested that the rocket should be repaired and a leaked test at low temperatures. By 14 June, ISRO confirmed that the problem was solved.
Bad weather: The launch had to be postponed on 9 and 10 June due to bad weather. The weather must be favorable for launch from Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
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Zweed Service Module: The Russian part of the ISS, the Zajda service module, saw the pressure problem after the recent repair (pressure signature). NASA and Russia’s space agency Rososmos are investigating it to ensure that the ISS is ready to accommodate the new crew. After this repair the data is required to review the additional time, due to which the launch was postponed.
ISS complex systems
ISS systems are connected to each other. After repairing the Zweeda module, NASA wants to ensure that the station is completely safe. The recent pressure abnormality made this investigation more important.
Fear associated with this delay
The repeated delay of Axiom Mission 4 has given rise to many types of concerns …
Space Station Security: The problem of pressure in Zezda module is a serious issue. If it is not fully corrected, it may be a threat to the crew and upcoming crew. NASA says that this leak is small. It is not uncommon, but it is necessary to take care.
Mission time limit: Mission has historical significance for India, Poland and Hungary. Late can affect the space ambitions of these countries. Time-sensitive samples have been prepared for seven experiments of ISRO, which may have to be refreshed due to delay.
Economic and Technical Pressure: India has spent Rs 550 crore for this mission. Repeated delay can increase the cost. It may take more time to solve technical problems.
SpaceX’s reliability: Recently there was an explosion during a regular ground test of SpaceX Starship rocket in Texas. Although this is different from the Falcon 9 rocket of the Axiom Mission 4, this incident has questioned the technical processes of SpaceX.
Current status
NASA, Axiom Space and SpaceX will soon announce the new launch date. The crew is in Quarantine in Florida. Is ready for launch. Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon Spacecraft are in a healthy position on the launch complex 39A of the Kennedy Space Center.
Shubhanshu Shukla’s space journey is a proud moment for India, but repeated delays have made this mission challenging. NASA and its associates are taking precautions to ensure the safety and technical credibility of ISS. The Zavesda module will be launched only after repairing the module and the technical problems of Falcon 9. This delay can be disappointing for India, Poland and Hungary, but security is the first priority.