- The Axiom-4 Mission, carrying Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, is delayed again
- The launch is now targeted for June 22, marking the sixth postponement due to various issues
- The crew remains in quarantine in Florida and is in good health, looking forward to launch
The Axiom-4 Mission, set to carry Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla to space, has been delayed, again. The four-member international crew is likely to fly to space on June 22. This is the sixth delay in lift-off, owing to weather and technical problems on the Falcon 9 rocket.
"SpaceX is targeting no earlier than Sunday, June 22 for Falcon 9's launch of Axiom Space's Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) to the International Space Station from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Launch is targeted for 3:42 am ET (1:12 pm IST), with a backup opportunity available on Monday, June 23 at 3:20 am ET (12:50 pm IST)," SpaceX said in a statement.
The latest postponement provides NASA time to continue evaluating space station operations following recent repair work.
Sharing the update on social media, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said that teams from ISRO, Poland and Hungary had detailed discussion with Axiom Space after which Axiom consulted NASA and SpaceX and delayed the lift-off.
"Being on Earth a little longer than planned means that I get to see my family one more time (even if it's only from across the street)," Peggy Whitson, Mission Commander, wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
The crew, which has been in quarantine since May 14, continues to be in Florida to "maintain all medical and safety protocols".
"The crew is in good health and high spirits and looks forward to launch," Axiom Space shared in a post on X.
The window for the lift-off is open till June 30. But if, for some reason, the deadline is missed, another opportunity will present itself in mid-July.
Previous Setbacks To Axiom Mission 4
Safety is of utmost importance when it comes to human space travel. Therefore, all checks are being done before the crew leaves for a 14-day mission to space.
The mission was initially set for May 29, after which it was postponed to June 8, then delayed to June 10, later to June 11, 12 and 19. Initially, the delay was attributed to weather reasons. Later, the Falcon-9 rocket developed a liquid oxygen leak. The leak, pointed out by the ISRO, was repaired by SpaceX and Axiom.
Then, an issue on the Russian module at the International Space Station was reported. SpaceX and Axiom continue to monitor it, hence the latest delay.
Peggy Whitson said, "Setbacks and delays are a normal part of spaceflight."
"Our Ax-4 crew remains upbeat and looking forward to a safe and successful flight to the Space Station," she wrote on X on June 11.
Axiom Mission 4
Axiom Mission 4 is a planned private spaceflight to the International Space Station operated by Axiom Space in partnership with SpaceX and NASA.
Peggy Whitson, former NASA astronaut and director of human spaceflight at Axiom Space, will command the commercial mission. ISRO astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla will serve as pilot, making him the second Indian to go to space, nearly four decades after Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma made history in 1984.
The two mission specialists are ESA (European Space Agency) project astronaut Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary.
