Axiom-4 put off again, ISRO decides to recall Group Captains Shukla, Nair

BENGALURU: Two days before the scheduled launch of the much-awaited Axiom-4 (Ax-4) Space Mission on June 22, Axiom Space on Friday announced its indefinite postponement.
Axiom Space, which is spearheading the 14-day Ax-4 Space Mission to the International Space Station (ISS) with four astronauts from the US, India, Poland and Hungary, has not given the next launch date.
Following this, the Indian Space Research Organisation decided to recall Ax-4 mission pilot Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla and reserve crew member Group Captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair.
'NASA has made the decision to stand down from a launch on Sunday, June 22, and will target a new launch date in the coming days. The space agency (NASA) needs additional time to continue evaluating International Space Station operations after recent repair work in the aft (back) most segment of the orbital laboratory's Zvezda service module.
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 the data,' an Axiom Space statement read.
The $64 million space mission is a multi-agency collaboration, involving Axiom Space, ISRO, NASA and European Space Agency (ESA).
'The (Indian) astronauts will be returning. There are many technical issues that need to be addressed before the mission is launched,' said a senior ISRO scientist.
Shukla and Nair are among the four Indian astronauts selected for India's first manned space mission, Gaganyaan, scheduled to be launched some time in 2027. ISRO Chairman V Narayanan said the Ax-4 mission delays will have no impact on the Gaganyaan mission, which, he said, is progressing as per schedule.

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