After facing multiple delays, the Axiom-4 mission is now finally ready for liftoff. NASA has officially announced that the Axiom-4 mission will lift off on Wednesday from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center. On board will be Shubhanshu Shukla from India, along with three astronauts representing the United States, Poland, and Hungary.

The launch is set to take place around 12 PM IST, and the crew is expected to reach and dock with the International Space Station (ISS) by 4:30 PM IST on Thursday, following a 28-hour space journey.

 The team is set to spend around 14 days aboard the ISS.

Delayed several times since May

The mission was earlier scheduled for May 29, but was postponed multiple times due to various technical issues. The most recent launch date, June 22, was also delayed just two days before take-off.

One of the main reasons for the delay was the leak in the Zvezda module on the ISS, which was first detected in 2019. Repairs were carried out ahead of this mission to ensure safety. NASA said,

“Because of the space station’s interconnected and interdependent systems, NASA wants to ensure the station is ready for additional crew members, and the agency is taking the time necessary to review data.”

An Indian official added that even after the leak was fixed, NASA had to double-check all systems to make sure there were no further risks.

Apart from the Zvezda issue, the mission also faced delays due to:

  • Problems with the electrical harness on the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft,

  • A liquid oxygen leak in the Falcon-9 rocket, and

  • Bad weather along the rocket’s flight path.

The astronauts have been in quarantine since mid-May as per standard safety rules. This helps prevent any infection from being carried into space and ensures the spacecraft remains free of harmful bacteria.

Shubhanshu Shukla joins the international crew

The Axiom-4 team includes:

  • Peggy Whitson (USA),

  • Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski (Poland),

  • Tibor Kapu (Hungary), and

  • Shubhanshu Shukla (India).

Shukla, nicknamed “Shux” by his fellow astronauts, will carry out seven scientific experiments for India while on the ISS. He will also take part in international research activities and hold virtual sessions with students, scientists, and leaders from India’s space industry.

This mission is especially important as it is India’s return to space after 40 years. The last Indian to go to space was Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma, who flew aboard the Soviet Salyut-7 space station in 1984.

Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh said, “When Rakesh Sharma went to space in 1984, India did not even have a launch pad. The first launch pad came up in 1993 and the second in 2005. Now, we are already gearing up for our own human mission. India is now a partner and at the forefront of research.”

The Axiom-4 mission is themed ‘Realize the Return’ and is the fourth private spaceflight to the ISS.

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