 "Shubhanshu Shukla was named the ‘Prime’ astronaut for the Indo-US mission to the International Space Station in August last year. Image: Axiom Space")
The Axiom-4 space mission, which will take Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla to the International Space Station (ISS), has been delayed by a day due to unfavourable weather conditions.
The Ax-4 crew includes astronauts from India, Poland, and Hungary — each representing their country’s first mission to the space station. According to Axiom Space, it also marks the second government-sponsored human spaceflight mission in over 40 years.
Shukla will be the second Indian astronaut to fly to space since 1984 after Rakesh Sharma. He is part of Axiom Space’s fourth private space mission, marking a significant moment for India’s space exploration in collaboration with Nasa.
Why has the mission been delayed?
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said in a statement, “Launch of Axiom-4 mission to International Space Station: Due to weather conditions, the launch of Axiom-4 mission for sending Indian Gaganyatri to International Space Station is postponed from 10th June 2025 to 11th June 2025. The targeted time of launch is 5:30 PM IST on 11th June 2025: Dr V Narayanan, Chairman, ISRO/ Secretary DOS / Chairman Space Commission.”
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About the Ax-4 mission
Besides Shukla, the Ax-4 crew includes members from Poland and Hungary, marking each nation’s first mission to the ISS in history and the second government-sponsored human spaceflight mission in over 40 years.
Shukla will conduct seven experiments in space that are aimed at encouraging microgravity research in India, which hopes to build its space station by 2035 and send astronauts to the moon by 2047.
The Ax-4 crew will spend 14 days orbiting the laboratory.
NASA has previously overseen three private astronaut missions to the ISS. Axiom Mission 1 (Ax-1) took place in April 2022, lasting 17 days. Axiom Mission 2 (Ax-2) followed in May 2023, with four private astronauts spending eight days in orbit. The most recent mission, Axiom Mission 3 (Ax-3), launched in January 2024, with its crew staying aboard the ISS for 18 days.