Axiom Space confirmed that the much-anticipated launch of Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla to the International Space Station (ISS) has been postponed.

The Axe-4 mission will now launch on June 8, 2025.

Shukla, originally scheduled to launch on May 29 as part of Axiom Space’s Axe-4 mission, will now lift off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre in Florida in early June due to a minor technical issue detected during pre-launch preparations.
 

Shukla’s mission is historic for India. He will be the first Indian to travel to the ISS and only the second Indian in space, four decades after Rakesh Sharma’s iconic 1984 mission aboard a Soviet Soyuz spacecraft.

The Axe-4 crew comprises mission commander Peggy Whitson (USA), mission specialists Sawosz Uznaski-Winiewski (Poland, and Tibor Kapu (Hungary), with Shukla serving as pilot.

The Axe-4 mission will utilise a aSpacexX Dragon spacecraft, launched atop a Falcon 9 rocket, and is expected to last up to 14 days.

During the mission, Shukla and his international crewmates will conduct scientific research, technology demonstrations, and outreach activities. Shukla is also expected to carry out experiments relevant to India’s upcoming Gaganyaan human spaceflight program, including studies on muscle loss, microgravity adaptation, and bio-farming.

A decorated test pilot with over 2,000 hours of flying experience, Shukla was selected for India’s astronaut program in 2019 and has undergone extensive training in Russia, India, and the US.

His participation in the Axe-4 mission is seen as a critical step in India’s ambitions to become a key player in global human spaceflight and to prepare for the country’s first indigenous crewed mission, Gaganyaan, scheduled for 2027.

Despite the delay, officials from ISRO and Axiom Space have expressed full confidence in the reliability of the launch vehicle and the mission’s overall readiness.

The postponement is attributed to a minor technical glitch and is not considered a cause for concern.