ISRO Fixes June 22 As Probable Launch Date for Axiom Mission

Nellore: In a joint endeavour, NASA, Axiom Space and SpaceX are gearing up for launch of the Axiom Mission 4, the fourth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, on Sunday, June 22.

In a statement on Wednesday, ISRO confirmed the date of the launch that includes Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla. There has been extensive coordination between ISRO, Axiom Space, NASA and SpaceX.

The mission, originally scheduled for May 29, faced multiple delays. This was rescheduled successively to June 8, 10, 11, 19, and now June 22, as NASA continues to evaluate repair work in the Russian Zvezda service module at the International Space Station.

Union Minister of State for Science and Technology, Jitendra Singh, confirmed the plan, saying the launch readiness assessments, including module fitness, crew health and weather, are being closely monitored.

The Ax-4 mission, led by veteran astronaut Peggy Whitson, marks a significant step in international and private space collaboration. The crew will take off aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 from Kennedy Space Center, Florida.

Joining Whitson are mission pilot Shubhanshu Shukla (India, Isro) and mission specialists Sławosz Uznanski-Wiśniewski (Poland, ESA) and Tibor Kapu (Hungary).

Shukla is set to become the second Indian to travel to Space, following Rakesh Sharma’s historic mission in 1984.

During his stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS), Shukla would carry out important experiments focused on food and Space nutrition.

These studies, developed through a collaborative effort between ISRO and the Department of Biotechnology, with support from NASA, aim to advance our understanding of sustainable life-support systems, a critical component for future long-duration Space missions.