The Axiom-4 mission carrying India’s first astronaut to the International Space Station (ISS) has been delayed again. This is the fourth time the launch date of this crucial mission has been changed.
ISRO chief V. Narayanan has clarified the reason for this delay on the official social media platform. According to him, “ISRO, NASA, Axiom Space and SpaceX are jointly working to resolve the problem that occurred in the Zvezda module of the ISS. Safety and mission integrity are our top priority.”
The decision to postpone the mission to the previously scheduled date of June 11, 2025 was taken due to technical reasons. During pre-launch testing, a leak of LOX (liquid oxygen) was detected in the propulsion bay of the Falcon-9 rocket. A 7-second hot test was conducted on the launch pad to inspect the problem.
After detailed discussions on this technical problem by experts from the three space agencies, it was decided to fix the leak and re-conduct the necessary tests.
It is noteworthy that earlier the launch of this mission was scheduled for May 29, which also had to be postponed due to technical reasons.
Under the Axiom-4 mission, four astronauts from four countries are to be sent to the ISS on a 14-day mission, including India’s Shubhanshu Shukla. This mission will prove to be an important milestone for the Indian space program, and all necessary precautions are being taken to ensure its success.
