Union Minister Jitendra Singh announced that the Axiom-4 space mission, which includes Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, will now launch on June 19, 2025. This revised date follows an earlier postponement.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Singh wrote, “Launch date of the Axiom-4 mission carrying Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla to the International Space Station is, as of now, rescheduled for June 19, 2025.”
He also clarified that SpaceX resolved all technical issues that caused the earlier delay.
Union Minister Jitendra Singh tweets "The launch date of the Axiom-4 mission carrying Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla to the International Space Station is, as of now, rescheduled for June 19. Also, Space X team has confirmed that all the issues, that led to earlier… pic.twitter.com/Aw2SEO56d2
— ANI (@ANI) June 14, 2025
Technical Issue Resolved
Earlier, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) confirmed its close coordination with Axiom Space, NASA, and SpaceX in addressing the reason for the delay. The issue involved a leak in the liquid oxygen (LOx) system connected to the Falcon 9 rocket.
On June 11, SpaceX officially delayed the launch, stating, “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 company posted on X.
Safety Is the Top Priority
ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan, who also serves as the Secretary of the Department of Space and Chairman of the Space Commission, emphasized that ensuring safety and mission integrity was the top priority during this delay.
A Historic Mission for India
Despite the rescheduling, the Axiom-4 mission remains a landmark event. It will carry astronauts from India, Poland, and Hungary, making it the first time all three countries send astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS).
According to Axiom Space, this mission marks the first government-backed human spaceflight for these nations in over four decades.
India’s Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla will become the second Indian astronaut in history to go to space, after Rakesh Sharma’s iconic mission in 1984.
Strengthening Global Collaboration
Shukla’s participation in the Ax-4 mission symbolizes India’s growing partnership with global space agencies such as NASA and SpaceX. This mission also strengthens India’s ambitions in human spaceflight and international space collaboration.
As Axiom Space stated, the mission will realise the return to space for the three nations and reinforce their presence in the modern era of human space exploration.
