US space agency NASA recently announced the delay of the Axiom Mission 4 (or Ax-4) again due to operational concerns.
Initially scheduled to launch on June 22, NASA opted to delay the mission yet again. The mission’s SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, and Dragon spacecraft, are still on their assigned launchpad, Launch Complex 39A, at Kennedy Space Center, Florida. NASA still hopes to have a new launch date in the next few days.
The crew of Commander Peggy Whitson, Pilot Shubhanshu Shukla, and Mission Specialists Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski and Tibor Kamu, are set to remain in quarantine in Florida, in case a launch date is finalised.
The mission is slated to be India, Hungary, and Poland’s first government-sponsored flight in 40 years, and the three nations’ second human spaceflight mission in history. The crew is expected to spend up to 14 days docked to the International Space Station (ISS) and carry out various scientific experiments.
For India and Shubanshu Shukla, this mission would be the first time in 40 years that an Indian has been to space (after Rakesh Sharma’s nearly eight-day voyage aboard a Russian Soyuz in 1984). It would also make him the first Indian to step foot in the ISS, and the first member of the Gaganyaan team to go to space.
Here is a look at the delays that have stalled the mission launch and reasons why.
Delay 1 – May 29
The mission was scheduled to launch on May 29, but was delayed to June 8 due to “observations in an electrical harness in the Crew Dragon Module” (as per ISRO)
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Delay 2 – June 8
The Falcon 9 rocket was underprepared for launch, and was subsequently delayed to the next day.
Delay 3 – June 9
Due to unfavourable weather, the launch was delayed by a day again.
Delay 4 – June 10
An oxygen leak in the engine was detected, alongside an issue in one of the engine actuators. ISRO anticipated a swift resolution to the issue. The launch was once again delayed by a day.
Delay 5 – June 11
While on-ground readings were favourable, NASA announced work with the Russian Space Agency.
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They announced they were evaluating a “new pressure signature”, giving indications of a potential leak in the back section of the ISS Zvezda, one of Russia’s modules in the ISS. A further delay in launch was also announced.
Delay 6 – June 19
Following discussions involving teams from ISRO, Poland, Hungary, consultations between Axiom Space, NASA, and SpaceX, and evaluations of factors such as weather and crew health, June 22 was announced as launch day.
Delay 7 – June 20
Two days before the launch date, NASA announced a further delay. “The space agency needs additional time to continue evaluating International Space Station operations after recent repair work in the aft (back) most segment of the orbital laboratory’s Zvezda service module.” NASA said in a press release dated June 19.
However, NASA hopes to finalise a new launch date in the coming days.
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(This article has been curated by Purv Ashar, who is an intern with The Indian Express)
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