The highly anticipated Axion 04 mission, scheduled to launch today from Kennedy Space Centre aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9, has been postponed due to a propulsion bay leak detected during final pre-launch tests.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) confirmed the delay, citing a liquid oxygen (LOX) leakage identified during a hot test of the rocket’s booster stage.
The mission, operated by Axiom Space, is particularly significant for India as Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla was set to become the first Indian astronaut to visit the International Space Station (ISS). However, the technical issue forced SpaceX teams to stand down, with the company stating that the leak must be repaired before determining a new launch window.
“Following discussions between ISRO, SpaceX, and Axiom Space experts, it has been decided to correct the leak and conduct further validation tests before clearing the mission for launch,” said ISRO Chairman Dr. V. Narayanan in an official statement.
This setback marks the fourth delay in Axion 04’s schedule, which was originally planned for May 29, then rescheduled to June 8, 10, and now June 11. Despite the challenges, officials remain optimistic about resuming preparations soon.
Once launched, Shukla, alongside Commander Peggy Whitson (USA), Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski (Poland), and Tibor Kapu (Hungary), will conduct cutting-edge research on space nutrition in collaboration with ISRO and India’s Department of Biotechnology (DBT), exploring the effects of microgravity on edible microalgae.
With ISRO and SpaceX working closely to resolve the issue, a new launch date announcement is expected in the coming days.
