The much-anticipated launch of the Axiom-4 mission, which will send Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla to the International Space Station (ISS), has been postponed for the third time. The Indian Space and Research Organisation (ISRO) on Monday said that the launch has been delayed due to adverse weather conditions in the launch area. Meanwhile, SpaceX said high winds in the ascent corridor are why the launch would be no earlier than Wednesday.
The Axiom-4 mission with astronauts from India, the US, Poland and Hungary will launch on June 11, 2025, due to unfavourable weather conditions at the Kennedy Space Centre on June 10. The new targeted launch time is set for 5:30 PM IST on June 11. The mission, a landmark event for India’s space ambitions, is a collaborative effort involving Axiom Space, NASA, SpaceX, and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
It marks India’s return to human spaceflight more than four decades after Rakesh Sharma’s historic 1984 journey. Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, a decorated Indian Air Force pilot and ISRO astronaut, will serve as the mission’s pilot, joining mission commander Peggy Whitson (former NASA astronaut) and specialists from Hungary and Poland. The Axiom-4 crew will travel aboard a new SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, launched by a Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Centre.
The mission was initially scheduled to launch on May 29 and was delayed to June 8. The launch was then pushed to June 10 due to technical issues. The Axiom-4 mission, once underway, will see the astronauts spend up to 14 days aboard the ISS, conducting a suite of scientific experiments, many of which are led by Indian researchers. These experiments will focus on advancing understanding in microgravity, life sciences, and material sciences, and will involve collaboration with scientists from over 30 countries.
