Axiom-4 Mission Launch Delayed to June 11 Due to Weather; Marks India’s Return to Space After 41 Years

The launch of the Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission—featuring Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla and three other international crew members—has been rescheduled to June 11, 2025, due to unfavorable weather conditions, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) announced on Monday evening.

Originally set for liftoff on June 10, the mission will now launch at 5:30 PM IST on June 11 from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida, aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket.

“Due to weather conditions, the launch of the Axiom-4 mission for sending the Indian Gaganyatri to the International Space Station has been postponed from 10th June to 11th June 2025,” said ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan.

This mission marks a significant milestone for India, as it returns to human spaceflight after more than four decades. The last Indian in space, Rakesh Sharma, flew aboard the Soviet Soyuz spacecraft in 1984.

Shubhanshu Shukla, who hails from Lucknow and uses the call sign “Shuks,” is part of this historic journey through a commercial spaceflight collaboration between ISRO, NASA, and Axiom Space.

All crew members on the Ax-4 mission are sponsored by national governments, highlighting a new model of international space cooperation.

Joining Shukla on the 14-day mission are Commander Peggy Whitson of the United States, Tigor Kapu of Hungary, and Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland.

The mission not only underscores India’s re-entry into human spaceflight but also marks a return to space for both Hungary and Poland.