NEW DELHI, June 11: The much-anticipated Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission, which includes Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, has been postponed due to a liquid oxygen (LOX) leak detected in the Falcon-9 rocket during post-static fire inspections, SpaceX confirmed on Tuesday.
The mission, originally scheduled to launch on June 11, 2025, was intended to transport a four-member international crew—Commander Peggy Whitson, Pilot Shubhanshu Shukla, and Mission Specialists Tigor Kapu of Hungary and Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland—to the International Space Station (ISS) for a 14-day scientific expedition. This mission marks a significant milestone as it was set to carry the first Indian Gaganyatri to the ISS, reviving human spaceflight efforts for India, Poland, and Hungary.
In a statement on X, SpaceX said, “Standing down from tomorrow’s Falcon 9 launch of Ax-4 to the @Space_Station to allow additional time for SpaceX teams to repair the LOx leak identified during post static fire booster inspections. Once complete – and pending Range availability – we will share a new launch date.”
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) also confirmed the postponement, stating that a seven-second hot test of the Falcon-9 booster led to the detection of the LOX leak in the propulsion bay. “Based on discussions between ISRO, Axiom, and SpaceX, it was decided to correct the leak and carry out necessary validation tests before clearing the launch,” ISRO Chairman Dr. V. Narayanan stated.
While the delay is a setback, mission officials emphasized that safety remains the top priority. A new launch date will be announced following repairs and successful re-validation of the launch vehicle systems.
