NASA Sets New Launch Date for Axiom‑4 Carrying India’s Shubhanshu Shukla to ISS

Axiom‑4: After six postponements, NASA has set a new launch date for the Axiom-4 mission to the International Space Station. As per the latest update Axiom Space, SpaceX and NASA are now aiming for a launch as early as Wednesday, June 25.

"NASA, Axiom Space, and SpaceX are targeting 2:31 am EDT, Wednesday, June 25, for launch of the fourth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, Axiom Mission 4," stated NASA.

According to this statement, the astronaut crew, including India’s Shubhanshu Shukla, is now expected to launch on Wednesday at 12:10 PM IST.

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The fourth Axiom mission will be launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre in Florida.

"The crew will travel to the orbiting laboratory on a new SpaceX Dragon spacecraft after launching on the company’s Falcon 9 rocket. The targeted docking time is approximately 7 a.m. Thursday, June 26. NASA will provide more details and its coverage information shortly," the space agency added further.

It had been delayed to June 8 for weather-related issues. Later, the launch dates would change to June 10 and June 11 due to a low-temperature liquid oxygen leak in the Falcon-9 rocket's booster.

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Following additional inspections, the launch was eventually scheduled for June 19 and changed again, this time to June 22 due to an uncommon technical fault in the service module of the space station.

After 6 delays, it appears firms SpaceX, Axion Space, and NASA will attempt the launch tomorrow.

What is the Axiom-4 mission?

Axiom-4 mission is a private astronaut mission. The mission crew will consist of former NASA astronaut Dr Peggy Whitson from the United States as mission commander, Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland, and Tibor Kapu from Hungary as specialists and Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla as pilot.

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