Axiom-4 Mission: Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla set to fly to ISS on June 19 after multiple delays, confirms ISRO

Axiom-4 Mission: US-based Axiom Space is now set to take Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla to the International Space Station (ISS) on June 19, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said on Saturday. Shukla’s flight, earlier scheduled for June 11, was postponed several times due to technical issues related to the Zvezda module of the ISS.

The leak was detected in the propulsion bay during a pre-launch test, prompting safety assessments and mission delays.

Zvezda issue being monitored, Falcon-9 leak resolved

ISRO noted that Axiom Space has informed it is working closely with NASA to assess the pressure anomaly in the Zvezda Service Module onboard the International Space Station.

“During a follow-on coordination meeting between ISRO, Axiom Space, and SpaceX, it was confirmed that the liquid oxygen leak observed in the Falcon 9 launch vehicle has been successfully resolved,” ISRO said in a statement, according to an IANS report.

“Axiom Space is now targeting June 19, 2025 for the launch of the Ax-04 mission,” it added.

The mission is of historic importance for India. Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is set to become the first Indian astronaut to visit the ISS and only the second Indian in space after Rakesh Sharma, who flew in 1984.

Also Read:Who is Shubhanshu Shukla, the Indian astronaut on Axiom-4 mission awaits a new launch date? 

Shukla will serve as the pilot of the mission alongside Commander Peggy Whitson of the United States. The other crew members include Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary, both serving as mission specialists.

Key experiments on space nutrition planned

Once aboard the ISS, Shukla will carry out experiments related to food and space nutrition.

These experiments have been developed under a collaboration between ISRO and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), with support from NASA. The research focuses on sustainable life-support systems, which are essential for future long-duration space travel.

Also Read:Axiom-4 Mission Delayed Again: Here’s why Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla’s launch is postponed

Microalgae to be tested in space environment

The mission will also look at how microgravity and space radiation affect edible microalgae. These algae are packed with nutrients and could become an important food source for astronauts on long space missions.

Scientists will study how well the algae grow in space and compare their behaviour with how they grow on Earth. They’ll also examine how the algae’s genes, proteins, and other biological functions change in space.

What caused launch delay?

Originally planned to lift off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on June 11, the mission was delayed first due to a fuel leak in SpaceX’s Falcon-9 rocket and later due to a leak in the Russian segment of the ISS.

The launch was initially scheduled for May 29 and was pushed to June 8, then June 10, and finally June 11 before it was postponed again when SpaceX detected a liquid oxygen leak in the Falcon-9 rocket.

(With inputs from agencies)