Axiom-4 mission delayed again: ISRO confirms Subhanshu Shukla's ISS spaceflight won't launch before 22 June 2025
The Axiom-4 mission, which was announced in May and would carry Subhanshu Shukla and three others to the International Space Station, has been postponed for the third time.
According to the newswire PTI, Shukla will not be able to go to space before 22 June 2025, further delaying his shot at achieving a major milestone.
ISRO confirms the delay
ISRO confirmed on X (formerly Twitter) that the teams from ISRO, Poland, and Hungary have engaged in a detailed discussion with Axiom Space regarding the probable launch timeline of Axiom Mission 4.
Following the discussion, Axiom Space also held consultations with NASA and SpaceX to assess multiple parameters to ensure that the spacecraft is ready to take off.
Axiom Space has informed that the next probable launch date is 22 June 2025. This date is given by considering the readiness status of the SpaceX Falcon 9 launch vehicle and the Dragon spacecraft.
Other factors, such as repairs in the Zvezda module of the International Space Station, ascent corridor weather conditions, and the health and preparedness of the crew in quarantine, also play a role in assessing whether the team is prepared to leave for its mission.
What caused the earlier delay?
The mission was originally scheduled for launch on 11 June from NASA's Kennedy Space Centre in Florida, but the mission was postponed after the aircraft, which was supposed to carry the four astronauts to space, could not pass the quality test.
The SpaceX team detected a liquid oxygen (LOX) leak during booster inspection. ISRO confirmed the delay, stating: 'It has been decided to clear the leak and carry out necessary validation tests before clearing for the launch.'
Axiom-4 mission details
Former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson will command the Axiom-4 mission, which will be piloted by Subhanshu Shukla. The other two astronauts joining the mission are ESA's Slawosz Uznanski from Poland and Hungary's Tibor Kapu.
Also Read | Axiom-4 Mission launch gets postponed to 11 June due to bad weather
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
Honda conducts surprise reusable rocket test, aims spaceflight by 2029
In a pleasant surprise, Japan's second-biggest carmaker Honda successfully tested an experimental reusable rocket, the company said, as it seeks to expand into the space sector. Honda, which hopes to develop the tech prowess for a suborbital launch by 2029, conducted a test flight of its rocket on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido. While 'no decisions have been made regarding commercialisation of these rocket technologies, Honda will continue making progress in the fundamental research with a technology development goal of realising technological capability to enable a suborbital launch by 2029,' it said in a statement. 'The test was completed successfully, the first time Honda landed a rocket after reaching an altitude of nearly 300 meters,' the statement dated June 17 added. Honda R&D, the research arm of Japan's second-biggest carmaker, successfully landed its 6.3-metre-tall experimental reusable launch vehicle after reaching an altitude of 271 metres at its test facility in northern Japan's space town Taiki, according to the company. The vehicle landed only 37 cm away from its designated landing spot after the minute-long flight. Demand for satellite launch rockets is expected to increase in the coming years as expectations grow for 'a data system in outer space', the Honda statement said. 'Honda has chosen to take on the technological challenge of developing reusable rockets by utilising Honda technologies amassed in the development of various products and automated driving systems,' it added. In future, the rockets could be used to set up satellite-based communication tools and to monitor environmental conditions such as global warming, Honda added. Reusable launch vehicles have been the driver of emerging commercial space missions over the past decade, led by Falcon 9, owned and operated by Elon Musk's SpaceX. The company's U.S. rivals, including Blue Origin and companies in China and Europe, also have reusable rocket plans. The Indian Space Research Organisation is also working on a Reusable Launch Vehicle, although it is still undergoing tests and there is no fixed launch date in sight. Honda in 2021 had said it was studying space technologies such as reusable rockets, but it had not previously announced the details of a launch test. A suborbital launch may touch the verge of outer space but does not enter orbit. Studying launch vehicles 'has the potential to contribute more to people's daily lives by launching satellites with its own rockets, that could lead to various services that are also compatible with other Honda business,' the company added. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) is also on a mission to become a major player for satellite launches, including with its H3 rocket, which is not reusable. Meanwhile Japanese startups are vying to enter the busy field, including Space One, which in December 2024 suffered its second failed rocket launch. For example, Tokyo-based Innovative Space Carrier last month said it will test-launch a prototype reusable rocket in the United States in December using an American engine.
India Gazette
2 hours ago
- India Gazette
Axiom-4 launch not expected before June 22 due to safety concerns: Union Minister Jitendra Singh
New Delhi [India], June 18 (ANI): Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Wednesday said that the much-anticipated Axiom-4 space mission, which includes participation by Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, is not expected to launch before June 22, citing safety as a key factor in finalising the launch date. On the Axiom 4 mission, Singh told reporters, 'We have been told that it won't be before 22nd June. There is a safety angle also involved here.' Following the rescheduling of the launch, Axiom Space said in an official statement that NASA, Axiom Space, and SpaceX are now targeting no earlier than Sunday, June 22, for the launch of the fourth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, Axiom Mission 4. The change in the targeted launch date allows NASA time to continue evaluating space station operations after recent repair work in the aft (rear) segment of the International Space Station's Zvezda service module, the statement added. Peggy Whitson, former NASA astronaut and now Director of Human Spaceflight at Axiom Space, will command the mission, while ISRO astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla will serve as the pilot. The two mission specialists will be ESA project astronaut Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary. The crew will launch aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft on a Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Centre in Florida.' In a post on X, Dr Jitendra Singh confirmed the updated launch timeline, writing: 'Axiom Mission 04 to the International Space Station (ISS)... After assessing key parameters, including module fitness, crew health, and weather, @Axiom_Space has indicated that June 22, 2025, may be the next likely launch date of Axiom-04 Mission carrying, among others, the Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, to the ISS.' He added, 'Further updates, if any, shall be shared accordingly.' During a press conference, Singh also reflected on broader administrative reforms introduced under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership. 'You have to prove that you know the skills for which you are applying for the job. That provides the pivotal field, and I'm glad and proud that the Prime Minister announced this from the ramparts of the Red Fort during his Independence Day speech,' he said. He recalled that within three months of the PM's announcement, all necessary administrative exercises were completed, and from January 1, 2016, new recruitment rules were implemented across India -- except in Jammu and Kashmir, where they were enforced after the abrogation of Article 370. Singh also spoke about the need to end outdated bureaucratic practices and hierarchies. 'There was a practice that Srinivasan ji was referring to -- the personal management of officers. We managed to break the hierarchy. I started calling all officers directly and saved their mobile numbers. There used to be confusion over who should come in line first. I also refrained from using the phone after 10 PM,' he said. He noted that such changes created an environment that functioned like an automated system, helping the government achieve key administrative milestones. Singh added that since taking office, PM Modi's primary focus has remained on the welfare of the poor. 'In his very first speech, the Prime Minister said that his government is dedicated to the poor, the deprived, and those who never got their due. We too have tried to follow that basic mantra in governance,' he said. He also mentioned reforms aimed at transparency and integrity. 'One of them was about removing attachments and sending a message to the common man. The second was related to the interview process. The third was the prevention of corruption, which was a common complaint against officers in the discharge of their duties,' Singh said. The Union Minister concluded that these steps laid the foundation for a new governance model that prioritises transparency, efficiency, and inclusion. (ANI)
India Gazette
2 hours ago
- India Gazette
"Axiom-4 Space sets 22 June as tentative launch date after assessing key parameters": Minister Jitendra Singh
New Delhi [India], June 18 (ANI): Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Wednesday said that Axiom Mission 04, which will send Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla to the International Space Station (ISS), is now tentatively scheduled for launch its on June 22, 2025. The revised timeline comes after a thorough evaluation of critical mission parameters by Axiom Space, the private aerospace company leading the mission. In a post on X, the Minister said that Axiom Space has suggested June 22, 2025, as the next likely launch date after assessing key parameters. 'Axiom Mission 04 to International Space Station (ISS) ..... After assessing the key parameters, including Module Fitness, Crew Health, Weather, etc, @Axiom_Space has indicated that 22 June 2025 may be the next likely launch date of Axiom-04 Mission carrying, among others, the Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, to the International Space Station,' his post read on X. He added, 'Further updates, of any, shall be shared accordingly.' Earlier in the day, Axiom Space had confirmed that the launch window for Ax-4 has been rescheduled to no earlier than Sunday, June 22. This revision allows NASA additional time to evaluate recent repairs made to the aft section of the Zvezda service module on the ISS. In a post on X, Axiom Space informed that the Ax-4 crew, comprising Peggy Whitson, former NASA astronaut and director of human spaceflight at Axiom Space, as commander, ISRO astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla as pilot, and mission specialists are ESA (European Space Agency) project Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary, remains under quarantine in Florida to ensure compliance with all medical and safety protocols. 'The #Ax4 crew remains in quarantine in Florida to maintain all medical and safety protocols. The crew is in good health and high spirits and looks forward to launch!' Axiom posted. The Ax-4 mission will lift off aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft on Falcon 9 from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Centre in Florida. Despite the delay, the Axiom-4 mission remains significant. The Ax-4 crew includes members from India, Poland, and Hungary, marking each nation's first mission to the space station in history and the second government-sponsored human spaceflight mission in over 40 years, according to Axiom Space. Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla will be India's second national astronaut to go to space since 1984. Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is part of Axiom Space's fourth private astronaut mission (Ax-4), marking a historic moment for India's space collaboration with NASA. According to Axiom Space, the Ax-4 mission will 'realise the return' to human spaceflight for India, Poland, and Hungary, marking each nation's first government-sponsored flight in more than 40 years. (ANI)
