NASA puts off Sunday's launch of Axiom-4 mission to International Space Station
The space agency 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, it said.
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Time of India
8 hours ago
- Time of India
Ax-4 Pushed Back Again, No New Date Yet
Representative image BENGALURU: The launch of Axiom-4 mission (Ax-4), which will take India's Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla and three others to space, will not happen this Sunday or Monday. There's no fresh date announced as of Friday. Nasa, Axiom Space and SpaceX standing down from the launch as the space agency needs additional time to continue evaluating International Space Station (ISS) 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 data,' a statement read. Stating that they appreciate the historic nature of this mission for India, Poland, and Hungary, the statement added that the crew remains in quarantine in Florida, and the astronauts stand ready to launch when the station is ready to receive them. The launch, originally targeted for May 29, was deferred to June 8 following the detection of an issue in the electrical harness of the Crew Dragon module, Isro had said earlier. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Buy Brass Idols - Handmade Brass Statues for Home & Gifting Luxeartisanship Buy Now Undo It was then postponed by a day to June 9 — which was not publicly announced — and then rescheduled to June 10. The June 10 launch was rescheduled once again. During preparations for a hot fire test on June 8, SpaceX engineers detected a liquid oxygen (LOX) leak in Falcon-9. An anomaly was also found in one of the engine actuators, which was subsequently replaced along with its controller. Expecting a quick resolution of the LOX leak, the mission was initially rescheduled for June 11. Isro said it had stressed on crew safety in review meetings. Mission partners on late on June 10 decided to postpone the launch further to conduct a test to validate the corrections carried out. After postponements owing to liquid oxygen (LOX) leak in the Falcon-9 rocket, the wait for Axiom-4 mission launch and India's Shubhanshu Shukla going to space got extended further because of an issue at the International Space Station (ISS). The mission partners then announced June 19 as a probable date. And Nasa, earlier this week said it was continuing to work with Roscosmos (Russian space agency) 'to understand the most recent repair efforts to seal small leaks'. The leaks located in the aft segment of the space station's Zvezda service module, have been monitored by flight controllers for several years, Nasa said. 'Recent repair efforts by Roscosmos appear to have stabilised pressure in the transfer tunnel, though teams are still evaluating whether the leaks have been fully sealed or if air is flowing into the area from the main station,' it added. On June 18, another announcement said that the launch could happen on June 22 with a back-up date available on June 23. At present, Nasa, Axiom or SpaceX have not yet committed to a new launch date.
India Today
10 hours ago
- India Today
Launch of Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla postponed for the 7th time. Here's why
Just over a day after announcing the launch of the Ax-4 mission to space on June 22, Nasa has pulled the plug again. This marks the seventh postponement of the much-awaited launch of the private mission with Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Ax-4 mission was initially planned to launch on May 29, 2025. However, technical snags, weather conditions and leaks aboard the Space Station have repeatedly pushed the mission beyond its timeline. advertisementThe 14-day mission was scheduled to liftoff on Sunday before Nasa announced an indefinite delay to the IS AX-4 LAUNCH POSTPONED THIS TIME? The latest postponement follows Nasa's concerns over a recent repair work in the aft (back) most segment of the orbital laboratory's Zvezda service module."The space agency needs additional time to continue evaluating International Space Station operations after recent repair work ," Nasa said in an update. It added, "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."The American space agency confirmed that the crew remains in quarantine in Florida, and the astronauts stand ready to launch when the station is ready to receive Whitson, former Nasa astronaut and director of human spaceflight at Axiom Space, will command the commercial mission, while Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla will serve as pilot. The two mission specialists are European Space Agency project astronaut Sawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary."It is not uncommon for the agency and its international partners to adjust launches around changes in operations aboard the space station. Teams are making progress evaluating the transfer tunnel configuration, resulting in an updated launch opportunity for the private astronaut mission," Nasa had said. The decision comes as Nasa requires more time to evaluate ISS operations. (Photo: Axiom) ISRO MONITORING CLOSELYWith the launch now delayed almost a month and no next date announced yet, the Indian space agency is rushing to replenish the biological samples planned for the Space Indian astronaut is scheduled to conduct seven space-based studies in the flying laboratory, while the entire mission will see over 60 such experiments to enhance our understanding of biological and physiological processes in space. The Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission, originally scheduled for May 29, 2025, faced several delays due to technical and weather-related setbacks. It was first postponed to June 8 after issues with the Crew Dragon's electrical harness, then pushed to June 9 due to Falcon 9 readiness delays. Poor weather in the ascent corridor led to another slip to June pre-launch tests, an oxygen leak and an engine actuator anomaly were found on June 8. After replacing the faulty components, the launch was rescheduled for June 11 and then to June 12 before it was pushed to June 22 owing to leaks detected aboard the InMust Watch
India Gazette
11 hours ago
- India Gazette
NASA postpones Axiom Mission 4 launch, new date to be announced soon
Washington [US], June 20 (ANI): NASA has postponed the planned launch of Axiom Mission 4 to the International Space Station (ISS). The Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla-led mission was rescheduled for June 22 (Sunday). The ISS said on Friday morning that NASA is standing down from a launch on Sunday, and that it will target a new launch date in the coming days. '@NASA, @Axiom_Space, and @SpaceX continue reviewing launch opportunities for Axiom Mission 4. NASA is standing down from a launch on Sunday, June 22, and will target a new launch date in the coming days,' the ISS wrote in a post on X. According to the ISS, additional time is needed to evaluate station operations following recent repair work in the aft segment of the Zvezda service module. Due to the highly interconnected nature of the orbital laboratory's systems, NASA is reviewing relevant data to ensure readiness for the arrival of additional crew members. Highlighting the global significance of the mission, ISS noted that the agencies 'appreciate the historic nature of this mission for the nations of India, Poland, and Hungary, as well as the world.' The four-member crew remains in quarantine in Florida and is prepared to launch once the station is cleared to receive them. Axiom Mission 4 will be commanded by Peggy Whitson, a former NASA astronaut and now Axiom Space's Director of Human Spaceflight. Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla from ISRO will serve as the mission's pilot. The mission specialists are ESA project astronaut Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland and Tibor Kapu from Hungary. SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft remain in good condition and are stationed at Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Earlier, Union Minister Jitendra Singh said that the Axiom-4 space mission -- which includes Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla -- will not launch before June 22, as safety assessments are still underway before clearing the final launch timeline. 'We have been told that it won't be before 22nd June. There is a safety angle also involved here,' Singh said at a press conference. Following the rescheduling, Axiom Space had said in a statement earlier that NASA, Axiom Space, and SpaceX were targeting no earlier than Sunday, June 22, for the launch. The change allows NASA time to continue evaluating station operations after recent repairs in the Zvezda service module. In a post on X, Dr. Jitendra Singh confirmed the updated launch timeline, writing: 'Axiom Mission 04 to the International Space Station (ISS)... After assessing key parameters, including module fitness, crew health, and weather, @Axiom_Space has indicated that June 22, 2025, may be the next likely launch date of Axiom-04 Mission carrying, among others, the Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, to the ISS.' He added that further updates would be shared accordingly. On the 11th anniversary of the Modi government, Singh also highlighted the socio-economic impact of administrative reforms over the past decade. 'The administrative reforms that happened in the last 11 years were not limited to governance. They had extreme socio-economic ramifications,' he said. He emphasized the push toward digital governance aimed at enhancing ease of living for common citizens, and noted that reforms created a more automated system that helped the government achieve key milestones. 'During the 11 years of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, not only has governance improved but also had significant socio-economic consequences,' Singh said. He added that schemes and reforms were aimed at ensuring justice for marginalised groups. (ANI)
