Launch of Axiom-4 Mission Delayed Following LOX Leak in Falcon 9 Booster

Cape Canaveral (Florida), June 11, 2025 — SpaceX announced today that it has indefinitely delayed the launch of the Axiom‑4 mission after detecting a liquid oxygen (LOx) leak in the Falcon 9 rocket during post-static fire testing. The mission, which was rescheduled to launch on June 11, carries Indian Air Force pilot Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla—who would become the first Indian aboard the International Space Station in 41 years—along with a crew from the United States, Poland, and Hungary  .

According to SpaceX, engineers identified the leak in the booster’s propulsion bay and have “stood down from the scheduled launch to allow additional time for repairs.” The company said a new launch date would be announced once the issue is resolved and pending range availability  . ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan confirmed that discussions involving ISRO, SpaceX, and Axiom were under way to fix the LOx leak and carry out further validation before clearing the mission for launch  .

This marks the second postponement of the mission, following an initial one-day delay from June 10 to June 11 due to adverse weather conditions  . Axiom‑4 is a crucial collaboration between Axiom Space, SpaceX, NASA, and ISRO. The 14‑day mission signifies India’s and the other participating nations’ return to human spaceflight, with Shukla joining former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson (commander), Poland’s Sławosz Uznański‑Wiśniewski, and Hungary’s Tibor Kapu as crew members  .

Axiom Space emphasized in a statement that it “continues to work closely with SpaceX and partners” to address the technical issue  . The team will remain grounded until the leak is fully repaired and successful tests confirm booster readiness. No new launch window has been determined.

As anticipation builds for India’s second-ever ticket to space since Rakesh Sharma’s 1984 flight, stakeholders await confirmation of a revised launch schedule that will mark another milestone in international space cooperation.