SpaceX has postponed the Axiom‑4 mission—carrying Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla to the ISS—due to a liquid oxygen (LOx) leak detected in the Falcon 9 booster during post-test inspections. No new launch date has been set as teams work on repairs and further validation.
Image Source:newindianexpress.
Axiom‑4 Mission Delayed Again After LOx Leak in Falcon 9
The highly anticipated Axiom‑4 mission, intended to carry Indian pilot Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla and three international astronauts to the International Space Station, has been delayed once again. SpaceX identified a liquid oxygen (LOx) leak in the booster’s propulsion bay during routine post‑static fire inspections, prompting the company to stand down from the planned launch.
Initially pushed from June 10 to June 11 due to unfavorable weather, the mission now faces an indefinite hold as SpaceX engineers collaborate with Axiom Space and NASA specialists to repair the leak and conduct necessary validation tests. A new launch date will be announced once the repair work is completed and launch range availability is confirmed.
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Leak Detected During: Post‑static fire inspection of the Falcon 9 booster
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Source: Leak found in propulsion bay handling LOx
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Initial Delays: First due to weather, then technical issues
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Next Steps: SpaceX to fix leak; pending test passes and range clearance
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New Date: Not yet determined
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Astronauts Onboard:
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Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla (pilot, India)
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Peggy Whitson (commander, USA)
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Mission specialists from Poland and Hungary
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Mission Duration: Planned 14‑day stay aboard the ISS
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Significance: Shukla will become the first Indian pilot to pilot a spacecraft, marking India’s return to crewed space missions since 1984
The Axiom‑4 mission is a landmark venture in private‑public spaceflight collaboration, involving SpaceX, Axiom Space, NASA, and ISRO. It offers valuable experience to ISRO ahead of its indigenous Gaganyaan program. However, the repeated delays—first due to weather, now technical—underscore the stringent safety measures required in human space missions.
