The much-anticipated launch of the Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission to the International Space Station (ISS) has been postponed due to a technical snag, Elon Musk’s SpaceX said in a statement Wednesday. The new dates of the mission will be announced soon, as the team is working on making some repairs, it was announced.
The delay in the Axiom-4 mission comes due to an LOx leak identified during post static fire booster inspections. SpaceX said in its statement, “Standing down from tomorrow’s Falcon 9 launch of Ax-4 to the @Space_Station to allow additional time for SpaceX teams to repair the LOx leak identified during post static fire booster inspections. Once complete – and pending Range availability – we will share a new launch date.”
The Axiom-4 mission is set to send Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla to the International Space Station. Shukla is currently on the cusp of history, set to be the second Indian to go to space, after astronaut Rakesh Sharma orbited the earth for eight days as part of Soviet Union’s Interkosmos programme.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has tied up with NASA and SpaceX for the Axiom-4 mission, aiming to carry out multiple customised experiments aboard the ISS which will further help India’s own space missions.
Postponement of Axiom 04 mission slated for launch on 11th June 2025 for sending first Indian Gaganyatri to ISS.
As part of launch vehicle preparation to validate the performance of booster stage of Falcon 9 launch vehicle, seven second of hot test was carried out on the launch…
Explaining why the Axiom-4 mission was delayed, ISRO said in a statement, “As part of launch vehicle preparation to validate the performance of booster stage of Falcon 9 launch vehicle, seven second of hot test was carried out on the launch pad. It is understood that LOX leakage was detected in the propulsion bay during the test.”
“Based on the discussion on this topic by ISRO team with the experts of Axiom and SpaceX it has been decided to correct the leak and carry out necessary validation test before clearing for the launch,” ISRO Chairman V Narayanan said in a statement.
This is the fourth time that the Axiom-4 mission – which is a joint venture by NASA, ISRO and SpaceX – stands delayed. A few days ago, the launch of the mission was rescheduled to June 11 due to unfavourable weather conditions and a 45 percent chance of rain and strong winds.
As part of the Axiom-4 mission, Shubhanshu Shukla and other astronauts will spend up to 14 days aboard the International Space Station, carrying out multiple experiments with key focus on microgravity and life sciences.
