Weather Postpones Historic Axiom-4 Mission with Indian Astronaut

The launch of the Axiom-4 mission, set to carry Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla to the International Space Station (ISS), has been delayed by a day due to unfavorable weather conditions, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) announced on Monday. Originally scheduled for June 10, 2025, the mission is now targeted for liftoff at 5:30 p.m. IST on June 11, 2025, from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Shukla, an Indian Air Force pilot, will become the first Indian to visit the ISS and only the second Indian astronaut in space, following Rakesh Sharma’s 1984 mission aboard a Soviet Soyuz spacecraft. The Axiom-4 mission, a collaboration between Axiom Space, NASA, SpaceX, and ISRO, will see Shukla join a crew of four astronauts aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket for a 14-day mission. The team includes mission commander Peggy Whitson, a former NASA astronaut, along with mission specialists Tibor Kapu from Hungary and Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland.

ISRO Chairman Dr. V. Narayanan, cited in a post on X, confirmed the postponement, noting that high winds at the Kennedy Space Center prompted the decision to reschedule. The mission aims to conduct scientific experiments, including seven India-led studies on topics such as muscle regeneration and microalgae growth, to advance research for future space exploration.

This historic mission marks India’s return to human spaceflight after a 41-year gap and underscores the nation’s growing role in international space collaboration. Shukla’s participation fulfills a commitment made by former U.S. President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to send an ISRO astronaut to the ISS.