The Ax-4 mission is the fourth private astronaut flight to the ISS and the first to include crew members from India, Poland, and Hungary—making it a moment of historic significance for all three nations.
The highly anticipated Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), which will carry India’s Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla to the International Space Station (ISS), has been rescheduled to launch no earlier than Sunday, 22 June. The delay, announced by Axiom Space and confirmed by India’s Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh, is due to ongoing safety assessments aboard the ISS following recent repairs in Russia’s Zvezda service module.
The Ax-4 mission is the fourth private astronaut flight to the ISS and the first to include crew members from India, Poland, and Hungary—making it a moment of historic significance for all three nations. For India, this marks the country’s first government-sponsored human spaceflight since Rakesh Sharma’s mission in 1984.
The Ax-4 crew is currently under medical quarantine in Florida, observing strict safety and health protocols in the run-up to the mission. The crew comprises four astronauts: mission commander Peggy Whitson, a veteran NASA astronaut and the current Director of Human Spaceflight at Axiom Space; ISRO astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, who will serve as the pilot; and two European Space Agency (ESA) project astronauts—Slawosz Uznański-Wiśniewski from Poland and Tibor Kapu from Hungary—who will serve as mission specialists.
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla’s inclusion in the Ax-4 mission marks a historic return for India to the domain of crewed space missions.
Axiom Space, in a post on X, confirmed that the entire team is in “good health and high spirits” and remains fully prepared for the mission despite the postponement. “The #Ax4 crew remains in quarantine in Florida to maintain all medical and safety protocols. The crew is in good health and high spirits and looks forward to launch!” the company posted.
Launch vehicle and location
The Ax-4 mission will launch aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft mounted on a Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre in Florida. The same site has previously hosted some of NASA’s most historic launches, including the Apollo missions.
The revised launch date gives NASA more time to evaluate the recent repair work in the aft segment of the Zvezda service module aboard the ISS. This safety buffer is crucial to ensure the full operational readiness of the station before welcoming new occupants.
India’s return to human spaceflight
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla’s inclusion in the Ax-4 mission marks a historic return for India to the domain of crewed space missions. Shukla will become only the second Indian to travel to space under a government-backed programme, and the first to do so in collaboration with a private space agency.
Axiom Space described the mission as “realising the return to human spaceflight” for India, Poland, and Hungary. This mission is also notable for being the second government-sponsored international crew flight by Axiom, reflecting growing global cooperation in the realm of private space exploration.
Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh, speaking at a press conference in New Delhi, underscored the importance of safety in finalising the launch date. “We have been told that it won’t be before 22nd June. There is a safety angle also involved here,” he said.
In a post on X, he added: “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.”
Dr Singh also used the occasion to highlight the broader achievements of the Modi government over the past 11 years, tying India’s space ambitions to its wider governance and socio-economic reforms. He noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership had led to a more automated, inclusive, and welfare-oriented administrative ecosystem.
“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. “PM Modi pledged that the sections of society who did not get complete justice and were deprived of their rights will be taken care of.”
Despite the short delay, excitement continues to build around the Ax-4 mission, which represents not just another milestone for space exploration but a symbol of India’s deepening involvement in international space collaboration. As the countdown to June 22 resumes, the successful launch of Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is poised to inspire a new generation of Indians to look skyward—with ambition, pride, and purpose.
