Axiom 04 Mission Delayed Again Due to Propulsion Leak

Axiom 04 Mission Postponed

New Delhi, June 11: The much-anticipated Axiom 04 mission, initially set to launch on Wednesday, has faced another delay due to a leak found in the propulsion bay during a pre-launch test, as confirmed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

This mission, managed by Axiom Space based in the US, was meant to transport Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla along with three international crew members to the International Space Station (ISS) using a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.

The launch was scheduled to occur at the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida on June 11 at 8 a.m. (5.30 p.m. IST) but has been postponed multiple times, originally planned for May 29, then pushed to June 8, June 10, and finally June 11.

ISRO Chairman Dr. V. Narayanan shared on X (formerly Twitter), "The Axiom 04 mission, intended for launch on June 11, 2025, to send the first Indian Gaganyatri to the ISS, has been postponed. During a seven-second hot test on the launch pad, a leak of liquid oxygen was detected in the propulsion bay. This issue will be addressed before we can proceed with the launch."

He further explained that discussions between the ISRO team and experts from Axiom and SpaceX led to the decision to fix the leak and conduct necessary validation tests before rescheduling the launch.

SpaceX also acknowledged the situation, stating on X, "We are standing down from tomorrow's (June 11) Falcon 9 launch of Ax-4 to the ISS to allow additional time for our teams to repair the LOx leak identified during post-static fire booster inspections. We will announce a new launch date once repairs are complete and pending Range availability."

This mission holds great significance for India, as Shubhanshu Shukla is poised to become the first Indian to visit the ISS and the second Indian in space, following Rakesh Sharma's historic journey aboard the Soviet space station Salyut 7 in 1984.

Shukla will act as the pilot for the Axiom 04 mission, working alongside Commander Peggy Whitson from the United States.

The crew also includes Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland and Tibor Kapu from Hungary, both serving as mission specialists.

Once on the ISS, Shukla is expected to conduct advanced experiments related to food and nutrition. This scientific endeavor is a collaboration between ISRO and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), with additional support from NASA.

The experiments aim to enhance the understanding of space nutrition and contribute to the development of self-sustaining life support systems essential for long-duration space missions.

The research will investigate the impact of microgravity and space radiation on edible microalgae, which is a nutrient-dense food source with high potential for future space missions.

The study will assess key growth parameters and analyze transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic changes in various algal species in space compared to their behavior on Earth.