The launch of the Ax-4 mission, which includes Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, has been postponed by NASA. The agency has stepped back from the scheduled June 22 launch date, with a new date to be announced soon. This marks the third postponement for Shukla’s journey to the International Space Station (ISS). Initial plans for a June 11 launch were shifted to June 19 following booster inspection issues. This was followed by a postponement to June 22, which has now also been changed.
NASA, Axiom Space, and SpaceX are reviewing launch opportunities for Axiom Mission 4. The decision to delay was made to allow for additional evaluation of ISS operations. This follows repair work on the Zvezda service module, the aft (back) most segment of the orbital laboratory. The agency needs to ensure the station is fully prepared for additional crew members.
The Ax-4 crew includes members from India, Poland, and Hungary, representing their respective nations’ first missions to the ISS. It also marks the second government-sponsored human spaceflight mission in over 40 years. The mission includes around 60 scientific studies and activities from 31 countries, including the U.S., India, Poland, Hungary, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Nigeria, UAE, and nations across Europe. This mission is considered to be one of the most research-intensive Axiom Space missions conducted aboard the ISS to date.
Shubhanshu Shukla is an Indian Air Force Test Pilot and Astronaut. Shukla, originally from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, was inspired by the 1999 Kargil War to pursue a career in service. He completed his schooling at City Montessori School, cleared the UPSC exam, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from the National Defence Academy in 2005.
