After Six Delays, NASA Sets June 25 Launch for Axiom-4 Mission to ISS

After multiple postponements, NASA, Axiom Space, and SpaceX have confirmed a new launch date for the much-anticipated Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) to the International Space Station.

The mission is now scheduled to lift off at 2:31 a.m. EDT on Wednesday, June 25 (which corresponds to 12:10 p.m. IST) from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

In an official update, NASA stated:

“NASA, Axiom Space, and SpaceX are targeting 2:31am EDT, Wednesday, June 25, for launch of the fourth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, Axiom Mission 4.”

The mission will use a new SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, launched aboard a Falcon 9 rocket, to ferry the four-person crew to the ISS. Docking is targeted for approximately 7 a.m. EDT on Thursday, June 26, with further coverage details to be released by NASA soon.

Mission Includes Indian Air Force Officer

A key highlight of the Ax-4 mission is the inclusion of Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla of the Indian Air Force, who will serve as the pilot for this private mission. Other crew members include:

• Dr. Peggy Whitson (USA) – Mission Commander and former NASA astronaut

• Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski (Poland) – Mission Specialist

• Tibor Kapu (Hungary) – Mission Specialist

Six Launch Delays Since May

Originally set to launch on May 29, the Axiom-4 mission has faced six delays due to a series of technical and weather-related issues:

• June 8: Postponed due to poor weather

• June 10 & 11: Delayed due to a liquid oxygen leak in Falcon 9’s booster

• June 19: Shifted after further evaluations

• June 22: Rescheduled following a fault detected in the ISS service module

With final checks underway, the mission is now on track for its long-awaited liftoff, marking another major milestone for private spaceflight and international crew collaboration.