‘NASA has made the decision…’: Shubhanshu Shukla's Axiom-4 launch delayed again, no new date yet

After multiple delays, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has again put off Sunday's launch of the Axiom-4 mission to the International Space Station (ISS). NASA will soon announce a new Axiom-4 launch date.

“NASA has made the decision to stand down from a launch on Sunday, June 22, and will target a new launch date in the coming days,” Axiom Space said in a statement.

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It said that the space agency needs additional time to continue evaluating ISS operations after recent repair work in the aft (back) most segment of the orbital laboratory’s Zvezda service module.

“Because of the space station’s interconnected and interdependent systems, NASA wants to ensure the station is ready for additional crew members, and the agency is taking the time necessary to review data,” it said.

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.

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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.

The Ax-4 mission, initially planned for launch on May 29, faced multiple delays—first to June 8, then June 10, and again to June 11—after engineers discovered a liquid oxygen leak in the Falcon-9 rocket boosters and NASA identified leaks in an aging Russian module on the International Space Station.

Axiom Space shared on X that the Ax-4 crew remains in quarantine in Florida, following all health and safety protocols

(With inputs from agencies)