Shubanshu Shukla's ISS mission now set for June 25 launch
What's the story
NASA has announced that Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is likely to fly to space on June 25. The new date comes after several delays in the launch schedule of the fourth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station (ISS), Axiom Mission 4. This marks a quick turnaround from the previous postponements, making it NASA's seventh attempt at rescheduling this historic event.
Mission specifics
Axiom-4 mission to take Shukla to ISS
The Axiom-4 mission is scheduled to launch from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 12:01pm (IST) tomorrow. The crew will travel to the ISS on a new SpaceX Dragon spacecraft after launching on the company's Falcon 9 rocket. The targeted docking time is around 4:30pm (IST) on June 26. This mission will see Shukla join seven astronauts already stationed at the ISS.
Delay reasons
Launch delays and rescheduling
The launch of Axiom Mission 4 has been delayed several times since its initial date was set for May 29, 2025. The first delays were due to Florida's weather conditions. Later, SpaceX revealed that it had detected technical glitches in the first stage of the Falcon-9 rocket, including a thruster issue and oxidizer leak. These problems have since been resolved with ISRO's intervention.
Mission details
India's ₹550 crore ride to space
The Axiom-4 mission is a commercial venture by Houston-based Axiom Space in partnership with NASA. India has bought a seat for an Indian astronaut on this mission at ₹550 crore, making it one of the most expensive "Uber-type ride-sharing" seats ever purchased by India. Shukla will travel on a brand new Dragon capsule which the crew will get to name.
Crew details
Mission with global crew, including Indian researchers' experiments
The Axiom-4 mission will carry a four-member international crew aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft on a Falcon-9 rocket to the ISS. The team includes US biochemist Dr Peggy Whitson as mission commander, Polish Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski and Hungarian Tibor Kapu as mission specialists. Group Captain Shukla is the pilot. During their two-week stay at the ISS, they will conduct 60 scientific experiments, including seven proposed by Indian researchers.