NASA has again postponed the launch of the Axiom-4 mission to the International Space Station (ISS), which includes Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla as part of its four-member crew. The launch, which was planned for Sunday, June 22, has now been delayed, and a new date will be announced at a later time.
The delay comes as NASA continues to assess the condition of the ISS following recent repairs in the back section of the Zvezda service module.
“Because of the space station’s interconnected and interdependent systems, NASA wants to ensure the station is ready for additional crew members, and the agency is taking the time necessary to review data,” the statement added.
This is the sixth time the mission has been postponed. Originally set for launch on May 29, it was first delayed to June 8, then to June 10, June 11, June 19, and later June 22 before the latest deferment.
Earlier delays were caused by multiple issues, including a delay in the readiness of the Falcon 9 rocket, bad weather, a liquid oxygen leak, and a technical fault in the space station’s service module.
