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NASA's Axiom-4 mission with Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla delayed for sixth time
This is the sixth postponement of the mission, which was originally set to launch on May 29 and has faced multiple delays through June.
NASA has again postponed the launch of the Axiom-4 mission to the International Space Station (ISS), which includes Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla as part of its four-member crew. The launch, which was planned for Sunday, June 22, has now been delayed, and a new date will be announced at a later time.
“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 on Thursday.
The delay comes as NASA continues to assess the condition of the ISS following recent repairs in the back section of the 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,” the statement added.
NASA mission faces sixth delay
This is the sixth time the mission has been postponed. Originally set for launch on May 29, it was first delayed to June 8, then to June 10, June 11, June 19, and later June 22 before the latest deferment.
Earlier delays were caused by multiple issues, including a delay in the readiness of the Falcon 9 rocket, bad weather, a liquid oxygen leak, and a technical fault in the space station’s service module.
Also Read | Why Shubhanshu Shukla's Axiom-4 mission has been postponed five times | Explained
The Axiom-4 mission is significant as it marks a return to space for India, Hungary, and Poland. The launch will take place aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The Axiom-4 mission holds special importance for India, as it will make Shubhanshu Shukla the second Indian to travel to space, following Rakesh Sharma’s mission in 1984.
Shukla is part of Axiom Space’s fourth private astronaut mission, which also marks a key moment in India’s growing space partnership with NASA.
The Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) crew includes ESA astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski from Poland, former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, Indian Space Research Organisation’s Shubhanshu Shukla, and Tibor Kapu of Hungary. The four-member international team is set to travel to the International Space Station as part of Axiom Space’s fourth private astronaut mission.
