Axiom Mission 4 launch to ISS rescheduled for June 22

Axiom Mission 4 launch to ISS rescheduled for June 22

NASA has once again rescheduled the launch of the fourth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station (ISS), Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), to no earlier than June 22.

The decision comes as NASA, in collaboration with Axiom Space and SpaceX, continues to evaluate recent repair work conducted in the aft (rear) segment of the ISS’s Russian Zvezda service module.

Originally scheduled for May 29, the launch has been deferred multiple times. It was first deferred to June 8, then to June 10, June 11, and June 19.

The crew is now scheduled to lift off aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

ISRO confirmed the revised launch timeline in a statement on X: “Teams from @isro, Poland, and Hungary engaged in a detailed discussion with @Axiom_Space regarding the probable launch timeline of Axiom Mission 4. Following this, @Axiom_Space held consultations with @NASA and @SpaceX to assess multiple readiness parameters. Based on the readiness status of the @SpaceX Falcon 9 launch vehicle, the Dragon spacecraft, repairs in the Zvezda module of the @Space_Station, ascent corridor weather conditions, and the health and preparedness of the crew in quarantine, @Axiom_Space has informed that the next probable launch date is 22 June 2025.”

Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh also confirmed the postponement of Axiom-4 on X. He said, “Update | Axiom Mission 04 to International Space Station (ISS). 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 Shubhanshu Shukla, to the International Space Station. Further updates, if any, shall be shared accordingly.”

The Ax-4 mission marks another milestone in the growing field of commercial spaceflight, showcasing international collaboration and private sector innovation. The mission will be led by Peggy Whitson, a veteran former NASA astronaut and now Director of Human Spaceflight at Axiom Space. She will serve as the mission commander.

Joining Whitson on the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft are three other astronauts: Shubhanshu Shukla, an astronaut from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), who will serve as the mission’s pilot; Sławosz Uznanski-Wiśniewski, a Polish project astronaut from the European Space Agency (ESA); and Tibor Kapu from Hungary—both serving as mission specialists.

Once aboard the ISS, Shukla will conduct pioneering experiments related to food and space nutrition. These experiments, developed through a collaboration between ISRO and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), with support from NASA, aim to enhance understanding of sustainable life-support systems—a crucial aspect of future long-duration space travel.

Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla will become the second Indian to travel to space after Rakesh Sharma’s 1984 mission.

The Ax-4 mission is Axiom Space’s fourth private astronaut flight to the ISS. The Ax-4 crew includes astronauts from India, Poland, and Hungary. According to Axiom, this will be the first government-sponsored human spaceflight for the three nations since the 1980s.