- NEW DELHI — As Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla prepares for a
journey into space aboard the Axiom-4 mission, the Indian Air Force (IAF) on
Tuesday extended heartfelt wishes to its officer and crew.
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- The much-anticipated mission to the International Space
Station (ISS), originally slated for June 10, has been postponed by a day due
to unfavourable weather conditions.
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- In a statement posted on X, the IAF wrote: "As Group
Captain Shubahanshu Shukla prepares to embark on Axiom-4 space mission
tomorrow, Chief of the Air Staff and all Air Warriors of IAF wish him and the
entire crew of Axiom-4 all the best for a safe and successful trip to the
International Space Station. This will add a new chapter to the Indian Space
Odyssey. Touch the sky with glory!"
Read: Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla to lift off to ISS tomorrow
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- Group Captain Shukla, a distinguished officer of the
Indian Air Force, is set to become one of the few Indians to visit the ISS,
joining an elite cadre of Indian astronauts following the footsteps of Rakesh
Sharma and others. His mission is being facilitated by Axiom Space, a US-based
private space company, in collaboration with SpaceX and international space
agencies.
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- The four-member Axiom-4 crew, including Shukla, will lift
off aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The launch is now scheduled for June 11 at 8.00 a.m. ET (5.30 p.m. IST).
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- The mission has faced multiple delays, having initially
been scheduled for May 29. It was first rescheduled to June 8 and then to June
10 before being pushed to June 11 due to persistent weather concerns.
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- Dr V. Narayanan, Chairman of ISRO, confirmed the latest
postponement via social media: "Due to weather conditions, the launch of
Axiom-4 mission for sending Indian Gaganyatri to International Space Station is
postponed from 10th June 2025 to 11th June 2025," he posted.
