The upcoming mission carrying Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla to the International Space Station is now set to launch on June 19. ISRO has announced that Axiom Space Company successfully resolved a liquid oxygen leak in the Falcon 9 rocket, which had caused a delay in the original launch date of June 11. In a recent press release, ISRO confirmed that during a meeting with Axiom Space and SpaceX, the teams clarified that the issue with the Falcon 9 launch vehicle has been effectively addressed. Additionally, Axiom Space is currently collaborating with NASA to investigate a pressure anomaly in the Zvezda service module of the International Space Station. As a result, Axiom Space has now targeted June 19, 2025, for the launch.
On Friday, ISRO emphasised that its primary focus was on safety and mission integrity in light of recent concerns expressed by NASA and Axiom Space regarding a leak at the International Space Station (ISS). SpaceX chief Elon Musk also raised alarms about the long-term safety of the ISS, suggesting that some of its components were aging and that the associated risks were increasing over time. He expressed his belief that, despite SpaceX earning significant revenue from transporting astronauts and cargo to the ISS, it would be prudent to consider de-orbiting the station within the next two years.
ISRO emphasised that the safety and integrity of the mission were their highest priorities after NASA and Axiom Space announced that they were addressing an issue related to a leak at the International Space Station (ISS). Shubhanshu Shukla from India, along with three other astronauts, was set to travel to the ISS as part of the Axiom-4 commercial mission. However, this mission has been indefinitely delayed as the space agencies work to resolve various issues ahead of the launch. The Chairman of ISRO, V. Narayanan, expressed in a post on X that ISRO is collaborating closely with Axiom Space, NASA, and SpaceX to responsibly address concerns regarding the ISS’s Zvezda module, which is causing the delay.
India’s hopes of returning to human spaceflight after 41 years have hit another roadblock. The launch of Axiom Mission 4, featuring Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, has been postponed again, this time due to technical issues related to both the International Space Station (ISS) and the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
India joins global space collaboration with Axiom-4 mission after Artemis Accords signing
The Axiom-4 mission to the International Space Station, which includes Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla and three other crew members, has been postponed as engineers need extra time to address a leak in SpaceX’s Falcon-9 rocket. SpaceX announced that it would be “standing down” from the Falcon-9 launch of the Axiom-4 mission to allow teams to fix the liquid oxygen leak discovered during the post-static booster inspections. SpaceX announced on X that they would be standing down from the Falcon 9 launch of Axiom- 4 to the Space Station scheduled for 5.52 PM today. They stated that this decision was made to give their teams additional time to repair the liquid oxygen leak that was identified during the post-static fire booster inspections. They mentioned that once the repairs were completed and pending range availability, a new launch date would be shared.
The Strawberry Moon is the popular name for the full moon in June. The name comes not from its colour but from Native American and European traditions, where this full moon marked the time of year when strawberries were ripe for harvest.
The launch of the Axiom-4 space mission, which includes Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla as part of its crew, has been postponed to June 11, according to the latest announcement. Initially scheduled for an earlier date, the delay has been attributed to final technical checks and mission readiness reviews.
India is gearing up to send its second astronaut, Shubhanshu Shukla, into space after a gap of over 40 years. Notably, Shukla will be the first Indian astronaut to set foot on the International Space Station (ISS). He will be joined by seasoned astronaut Peggy Whitson as the mission commander, along with Polish astronaut Sawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski and Hungarian astronaut Tibor Kapu, who will serve as mission specialists. Shukla is expected to spend around 14 days aboard the ISS, where he will carry out various experiments on behalf of ISRO and NASA. This mission is crucial for ISRO, as the insights gained will significantly contribute to future projects like the Gaganyaan mission and human lunar landings.
Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla is gearing up for his historic journey to the International Space Station (ISS) on June 10. As part of the Axiom 4 mission, he will not only become the first Indian to visit the ISS but also the second Indian to venture into space. Shukla will spend 14 days aboard the ISS, where he, along with three other astronauts, will conduct seven experiments for ISRO. These experiments aim to support India’s future endeavors, including the Bharatiya Antariksh Station and the Gaganyaan mission. One of the notable experiments involves Tardigrades, also known as water bears—tiny microorganisms. These hardy creatures are central to an experiment focused on examining their revival, survival, and reproduction in the ISS environment.
