Axiom-4 mission to ISS launch date still pending
The much-awaited Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) trip to the International Space Station has been paused, with no new launch date set yet. NASA and Axiom Space say the delay is due to two technical problems: a pressure issue in the Russian Zvezda module on the ISS, and a liquid oxygen leak in SpaceX's Falcon-9 rocket.
Zvezda module issue being addressed
Cosmonauts recently checked out the Zvezda module and found a new pressure signature, so they resealed it. The good news: it's holding steady now. This delay gives NASA and Roscosmos more time to double-check safety before anyone heads up.
India's 1st astronaut on ISS
Ax-4 is led by former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, with ISRO's Shubhanshu Shukla as pilot—making this India's first-ever ISS mission. Crew members from Poland and Hungary are also onboard for their countries' debut flights. The 14-day mission is Axiom's most research-heavy trip yet.
Crew will fly on SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft
The crew will eventually fly on SpaceX's last Crew Dragon spacecraft from Kennedy Space Center. But before takeoff, teams need to finish all safety checks and technical reviews—so for now, everyone just has to wait a bit longer for liftoff.