Axiom space flight tentatively scheduled for June 19 after repeated delays: Science Minister
The Axiom-4 mission, that is set to carry Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla to the International Space Station (ISS) is scheduled to take off on June 19, 'as of now', Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh said at a press conference on Sunday.
This comes a day after the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) had first declared and then deleted the date of the repeatedly postponed launch. On Saturday, ISRO had posted on its official channels that the liquid oxygen leak on the Falcon-9, which is supposed to ferry the astronauts to the ISS, had been 'successfully resolved', and that it was looking to a 'June 19th launch'. Later in the day, however, it removed the specific reference to the date, modifying its post to say: 'The earliest possible launch date for #Ax4 is being worked out.'
With the launch having been delayed multiple times already, Dr. Singh said that June 19 is 'being seriously considered', but that there were 'imponderables' such as the weather and other factors.
'Mutual cooperation' with SpaceX
In response to a question by The Hindu, the Minister played down perceived differences between ISRO and the Elon Musk-owned SpaceX — which owns and operates the Falcon — on the threat posed by the discovery of an 'oxygen leak'' during a engine test on June 8.
On June 10, ISRO had said on its website that it 'recommended' on-site repairs or replacement and a 'low temperature leak test' before the vehicle was cleared for launch. A media report claimed that ISRO had to insist on such a test.
'As far as our understanding goes, there's been an optimum amount of mutual cooperation. As soon as the leakage was pointed out, both teams joined together and agreed to address that [the leakage],' said Dr. Singh, who is also the Minister-in-charge for Space.
Oxygen leak detected
The astronauts were originally scheduled to lift off on May 29, which was postponed to June 8, then June 10, and then June 11, when SpaceX, the provider of the launch rocket and the space capsule, detected a liquid oxygen leak in the Falcon-9 rocket.
The delays were also due to a snag in the Zvezda service module aboard the ISS. Axiom, the company coordinating the launch, has said it was 'coordinating with NASA on the module anomaly'.
Former NASA astronaut and director of human spaceflight at Axiom Space, Peggy Whitson, will command the commercial mission, while Mr. Shukla, the ISRO astronaut, will serve as the pilot. The two mission specialists are European Space Agency (ESA) astronauts Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary. The 14-day mission will 'realise the return' to human spaceflight for India, Poland, and Hungary.
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