Ax-4 Mission Postponed

Context

SpaceX has postponed the launch of Axiom Space’s Ax-4 mission, scheduled for June 11, 2025, which includes Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla—the first Indian astronaut under the Gaganyaan collaboration to visit the International Space Station (ISS). The delay was due to a liquid oxygen (LOx) leak detected during static fire tests of the Falcon 9 launch vehicle.

Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4):

A private crewed spaceflight mission to the International Space Station (ISS), organized by Axiom Space in collaboration with NASA and SpaceX.
Scheduled to launch aboard Falcon 9, it is part of commercial low-Earth orbit utilization missions.

Significance for India:

Marks a major milestone for India’s Gaganyaan programme and human spaceflight capability.
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla becomes the first Indian Gaganyatri on a foreign commercial mission to ISS, supporting India’s international space collaborations.

Reason for Postponement:

A LOx leak (liquid oxygen) was found in the booster propulsion bay during post-static fire tests.
SpaceX and ISRO jointly decided to postpone the mission until leak repairs and validations are complete.

International Crew Composition:

Includes astronauts from India (IAF), Poland (ESA), Hungary (ESA), and USA (NASA).
Demonstrates growing global partnerships in private spaceflight missions and low-Earth orbit commercialization.

Role of ISRO:

ISRO’s involvement in pre-launch assessments and international coordination shows India’s increasing stake in international space missions and its readiness for Gaganyaan’s independent crewed missions.

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