The journey of Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of Axiom Mission 4 has faced multiple delays. On Tuesday, Axiom Space revealed the revised launch schedule for this private astronaut mission. The ISS announced via X: “NASA, Axiom Space, and SpaceX are aiming for a launch at 2:31 a.m. EDT on Wednesday, June 25.”
The crew is now set to depart on June 25, 2025, from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, specifically from Launch Complex 39A. According to NASA's latest press release, “The crew will travel to the orbiting laboratory aboard a new SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, following a launch on the Falcon 9 rocket. The expected docking time is around 7 a.m. on Thursday, June 26. Further details and coverage information will be provided by NASA soon.”
This mission was originally scheduled for launch on June 11 but was postponed to June 19 and then to June 22 due to leaks identified during post-static fire booster inspections. The launch date has now been adjusted once more.
| Launch | June 25, 2025, 2:31 AM | Launch to the International Space Station |
| Docking | Approx. June 26, 2025, 7:00 AM | Scheduled docking with the ISS |
| Duration | Up to 14 days | Time docked to the ISS |
The mission will be led by former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, with Shubhanshu Shukla serving as the pilot. The crew also includes mission specialists Slavoj Uznanski from Poland and Tibor Kapu from Hungary. Axiom Mission 4 marks the second commercial spaceflight mission featuring a mix of government and ESA-sponsored astronauts.
