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Axiom-4 Mission with Indian Astronaut Delayed Further; New Launch Date Pending

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The eagerly awaited Axiom-4 mission to the International Space Station (ISS), which includes Indian Air Force officer Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, has been delayed yet again.

The launch was previously scheduled for Sunday, June 22.

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Jitendra Singh, confirmed the update on X, stating that NASA has decided to “stand down” from the planned launch and will share a new date soon.
(PLEASE ADD THE TWEET TEXT HERE… HIS EXACT WORDS.. AND THEN EMBED IT!)

NASA, along with Axiom Space and SpaceX, the three agencies responsible for the mission, also posted updates on X, stating they are continuing to review possible launch windows.

(SIMILAR FORMAT.. FIRST, THEIR TEXT VERSION, THEN EMBED THE TWEET)

The delay comes as NASA requires more time to evaluate the condition of the ISS following recent repair work in the Russian-built Zvezda service module. Given the interconnected nature of the station’s systems, NASA wants to ensure everything is in order before welcoming a new crew onboard.

The four-member crew, including Shukla, remains in quarantine in Florida and is prepared to launch once final clearance is granted.

This marks the sixth delay for the mission, originally scheduled to launch on May 29. The setbacks have been caused by a series of technical issues and safety concerns, ranging from equipment faults to weather disruptions and station-related repairs.

Here’s a timeline of the delays so far:
May 29: The launch was halted due to an “observation in the electrical harness” of the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, which carries the crew to the ISS.
June 8: Postponed by a day as the Falcon 9 rocket was not ready.
June 9: Bad weather along the rocket’s flight path caused another 24-hour delay.
June 10: A liquid oxygen leak and a problem with one of the actuators led to another rescheduling. The mission was then moved to June 11.
June 11: NASA, in coordination with Russia’s space agency, began investigating a “new pressure signature” in the rear section of one of the ISS’s Russian modules, indicating a possible leak.
June 19: Launch shifted to June 22 to allow further checks after the Zvezda module’s repair.
June 22: The most recent delay was again due to “operational and safety concerns” at the ISS.

Shukla is set to become the second Indian to travel to space and the first to visit the ISS. India’s only other astronaut, Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma, spent nearly eight days in space in 1984 aboard the Soviet Salyut-7 station.

Accompanying Shukla are astronauts from the US, Poland, and Hungary. Like India, Poland and Hungary are returning to space after nearly 40 years. During his stay at the ISS, Shukla will conduct seven India-led experiments and participate in several international ones.

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