New Delhi, June 14, 2025 — The long-awaited Axiom-4 mission to the International Space Station is back on track after engineers successfully resolved a liquid oxygen leak in the Falcon 9 rocket. Space agencies confirmed on Saturday that the new launch date is now set for June 19.
The mission, which includes Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla as pilot, was initially scheduled for May 29 but had faced multiple postponements due to technical issues. A final hot-fire test earlier this month revealed a leak in the rocket’s liquid oxygen system, forcing further delays.
Axiom Space, NASA, and SpaceX jointly investigated the issue. After a series of safety reviews and system validations, the agencies gave the green light to proceed with the launch.
The Axiom-4 crew includes mission commander Peggy Whitson from the U.S., Polish astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski, Hungarian astronaut Tibor Kapu, and Shukla, who will become the first Indian to travel to the ISS on a private spaceflight mission.
While the rocket issue has been resolved, engineers are also monitoring a pressure irregularity in the Zvezda module aboard the ISS. NASA officials have stated this is being managed with caution and does not pose a threat to the upcoming mission.
If successful, the Axiom-4 mission will mark a major milestone in India’s human spaceflight legacy, making Shubhanshu Shukla the first Indian in space since Rakesh Sharma’s mission in 1984.
The mission will now proceed with final preparations at Kennedy Space Center as all systems move toward a June 19 liftoff.
