The Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission, which will transport Indian Gaganyatri Shubhanshu Shukla and three other astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS), has been postponed to June 11, 2025, due to unfavorable weather conditions. The launch was initially scheduled for June 10, but the decision to delay was made to ensure the safety of the crew and the success of the mission. The new targeted launch time is 5:30 PM IST.

This mission marks a significant milestone for India's space program, as Shubhanshu Shukla will be the first Indian astronaut to visit space in over four decades, following Rakesh Sharma's journey aboard a Soviet spacecraft in 1984. The Ax-4 mission signifies India's return to human spaceflight and underscores the growing importance of commercial spaceflights in advancing national space programs.

The Axiom-4 mission is not only important for India but also for Poland and Hungary, as it represents their first government-sponsored human spaceflight missions in more than 40 years. This mission will be the first time that all three nations will conduct a mission aboard the International Space Station.

The Ax-4 mission will be commanded by Peggy Whitson, a former NASA astronaut and director of human spaceflight at Axiom Space. Shubhanshu Shukla will serve as the pilot, and the two mission specialists are ESA project astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski of Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary.

During their time on the orbiting laboratory, the Ax-4 crew will conduct over 60 scientific experiments and demonstrations. These experiments will focus on various areas, including human research, Earth observation, and life, biological, and material sciences. The mission aims to contribute to the development of a low Earth orbit economy and provide valuable insights for future deep space missions.

The launch will take place from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, utilizing a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and a new Dragon spacecraft. Following stage separation, the Falcon 9's first stage will land on Landing Zone 1 (LZ-1) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

NASA, Axiom Space, and SpaceX will provide live coverage of the launch and arrival at the International Space Station. Arrival coverage is scheduled to begin on June 11 at 10:30 a.m. EDT, with targeted docking to the space-facing port of the station's Harmony module at approximately 12:30 p.m. EDT.