Indian Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla’s Journey to the International Space Station (ISS) is delayed again. Axiom Space on Tuesday, sharing the update on the launch date, stated that the agencies are now targeting no earlier than Sunday, June 22. The mission initially slated to launch on June 11 was postponed to June 19 after leaks being detected during post static fire booster inspections. Now, the launch of Axiom Mission 4 has been pushed further by the agencies.
The official statement by Axiom Space read as: “NASA, Axiom Space, and SpaceX are now targeting no earlier than Sunday, June 22, for launch of the fourth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, Axiom Mission 4.”
It added that the change in the launch date provides NASA, some more time to evaluate space station operations after recent repair work.
“The change in a targeted launch date provides NASA time to continue evaluating space station operations after recent repair work in the aft (back) most segment of the International Space Station’s Zvezda service module,” the statement added.
The crew will lift off aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft on Falcon 9 from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Notably, the Ax-4 crew includes members from India, Poland, and Hungary. This marks each nation’s first mission to the space station in history and the second government-sponsored human spaceflight mission in over 40 years.
Union Minister Jitendra Singh tweets, "…After assessing the key parameters including Module Fitness, Crew Health, Weather etc…Axiom Space has indicated that 22 June 2025 may be the next likely launch date of Axiom-04 Mission carrying, among others, the Indian astronaut… pic.twitter.com/wsWGzWfw9d
— ANI (@ANI) June 18, 2025
Moreover, the Ax-4 research complement includes around 60 scientific studies and activities representing 31 countries, including the U.S., India, Poland, Hungary, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Nigeria, UAE, and nations across Europe. It is considered to be one of the most research and science-related activities conducted on an Axiom Space mission aboard the ISS to date.
Who Is Shubhanshu Shukla?
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is an Indian Air Force Test Pilot and Astronaut. Shukla, who is a native of Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, completed his schooling at the City Montessori School. He was deeply inspired by the 1999 Kargil War, after which he decided to apply for the UPSC, and he eventually cleared it. He completed his military training and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from the National Defence Academy in 2005.
He was then selected for the flying branch and underwent training at the Indian Air Force Academy. In June 2006, he was commissioned into the Fighter stream of the Indian Air Force as a Flying Officer. He is a combat leader and seasoned test pilot with about 2,000 hours of flying experience across various aircrafts.
Also Read: Who Is Shubhanshu Shukla? ISRO’s First Astronaut To Embark On Axiom Mission 4 With NASA And SpaceX
