LOx Leak Causes Delay: Ax-4 Mission, Featuring Indian Astronaut, Postponed

Axiom Mission 4, which includes the first Indian Gaganyatri Shubhanshu Shukla, has been delayed. A liquid oxygen (LOx) leak was discovered during post-static fire booster inspections, prompting SpaceX to postpone the Falcon 9 launch scheduled for June 11. SpaceX stated on X that more time is needed to resolve the issue. A new launch date will be announced once the issue is fixed and based on range availability. ISRO also acknowledged the delay, noting the importance of the mission for India, as it would send Shubhanshu Shukla to the ISS. The seven-second hot test revealed the leakage, leading to the decision to rectify the problem before proceeding. The Ax-4 mission also carries astronauts from Poland and Hungary, representing each nation’s first mission to the space station, and the second government-sponsored human spaceflight mission in over 40 years.