NASA Says Launch Of Shubhanshu Shukla's Axiom Space Mission Likely Tomorrrow
New Delhi:
After repeated delays, NASA has now announced that Indian Astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla could fly to space tomorrow.
This is the shortest turnaround time from announcing a new date and the targeted launch that NASA announced. This is the sixth new date that NASA has announced.
NASA, Axiom Space, and SpaceX are now targeting 12.01 PM (India Time), Wednesday, June 25, for launch of the fourth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, Axiom Mission 4.
The mission will lift off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The crew will travel to the orbiting laboratory on a new SpaceX Dragon spacecraft after launching on the company's Falcon 9 rocket. The targeted docking time is approximately 4.30 pm (India Time) Thursday, June 26.
There have been multiple delays since the first launch date was announced as May 29, 2025. Initially the postponements were linked to inclement weather issues which is normal for Florida weather, subsequently SpaceX announced they had detected technical glitches on the first stage of the Falcon-9 rocket which included issues with a thruster and leak of the oxidizer. It turned out that there was a leak of Liquid Oxygen and initially SpaceX wanted to do a 'band aid' type fix and launch within 24 hours, at that point the Indian team led by Dr V Narayanan, Chairman, of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) wanted a full repair and validation.
On ISRO's 'insistence' SpaceX did make the repairs to the satisfaction of 13 member Indian team stationed at the Kennedy Space Center. But the woes did not end, after that there were technical glitches on Shubhanshu Shukla's destination which is the International Space Station. There was 'pressure signature' said NASA, meaning the station was also leaking on the Russian module. This it seems has now also been resolved as well.
There are seven astronauts at the ISS and this crew of four were to join them and NASA did not want these so called 'guests' to be involved in repairs of the ISS and they would pose additional pressure on the ISS. Subsequently it seems all the leaks on the rocket and the space station have now been fixed and now the astronauts are ready to fly, weather permitting on June 25, 2025.
Axiom-4 Mission
The Axiom-4 mission, operated by Houston-based Axiom Space in partnership with NASA, is a commercial venture where India has purchased a seat for an Indian astronaut for Rs 550 crores. Incidentally this is one of the most expensive 'Uber type ride sharing' seat ever purchased by India on a hi-tech space bus named Dragon made by SpaceX. Incidentally Shubhanshu Shukla will travel on a spanking new Dragon capsule which the four crew will get to name.
The Axiom-4 mission, sometimes called Mission Akash Ganga, will carry a four-member international crew aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft flying on a Falcon-9 rocket to the International Space Station (ISS). The crew includes Dr Peggy Whitson from the United States as mission commander, Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland, and Tibor Kapu from Hungary, both serving as mission specialists. Group Captain Shukla is the designated pilot for this mission.
Dr Whitson is a 64-year-old biochemist and former NASA astronaut, and is the most experienced American astronaut with 675 days in space. Her extensive experience includes 10 spacewalks totalling over 60 hours, and she serves as Director of Human Spaceflight at Axiom Space. Her leadership is expected to provide invaluable mentorship to Shubhanshu Shukla during the mission.
On the fortnight-long mission, the crew will conduct 60 scientific experiments, of which seven are proposed by Indian researchers.
Group Captain Shukla will also participate in a space-to-Earth outreach program and interact with a VIP from space. Seven crew members are already at the ISS.
If Group Captain Shukla does travel to space, he will become India's second astronaut or Gaganyatri after Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma, who went to space as part of an Indo-Soviet friendship mission to the Russian space station in 1984.
Group Captain Shukla is currently in quarantine and is healthy to travel on this maiden mission to the International Space Station as an Indian.
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