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.

This marks the first government-sponsored human spaceflight for India, Poland, and Hungary in over 40 years.