Indian Astronaut to Fly on Delayed Axiom-4 Mission to Space Station
Axiom Mission 4, a private spaceflight to the International Space Station (ISS), has been delayed and is now expected to launch no earlier than June 22, 2025.
The mission was originally scheduled for June 19, but a minor leak was found in the Zvezda module of the ISS, leading to a cautious postponement.
Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla is one of the key members of the upcoming mission. If everything goes as planned, he will become the second person from India to travel to space, following Rakesh Sharma’s historic journey in 1984. He will be part of an international team that also includes astronauts from Hungary and Poland.
The crew will head to the International Space Station aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
🚨Shubhanshu Shukla set to become first indian in Space in 41 Years with Axiom-4 mission launch on 10 june. pic.twitter.com/KzwrSewTkL
— Indian Infra Report (@Indianinfoguide) June 8, 2025
The astronauts are already preparing for their journey and continue their training while safety checks are completed. The ISS remains fully operational, and NASA has confirmed that there is no immediate danger to the current crew.
Meanwhile, NASA and its partners are planning more private space missions in the next two years. Two new private astronaut trips are expected in 2026 and 2027, supporting NASA’s long-term goal of developing commercial opportunities in low Earth orbit.
Back on the ISS, astronauts recently made headlines by preparing “space sushi” using preserved ingredients like rice, spam, and gochujang. These light moments help maintain crew morale during long missions.
NASA’s Artemis II mission is also moving ahead, with a launch date set for early 2026. It will send four astronauts around the Moon and will be the first crewed flight beyond low Earth orbit in over 50 years. The crew includes Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen.
In addition to Axiom-4, SpaceX Crew-10 is currently active aboard the ISS, and Crew-11 is expected to launch in July 2025. These missions keep the space station occupied and help with ongoing scientific experiments and global cooperation in space exploration.
The space community is closely watching the Axiom-4 mission, as it marks another step in making space more accessible and inclusive through international and private partnerships.
Image Source: NASA
