Axiom-4 Launch Delayed Again Due to Rocket Leak, Indian Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla Has to Wait

The launch of the Axiom-4 space mission, which includes Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, has been delayed again. This time, the delay happened because of a liquid oxygen (LOX) leak found in the Falcon 9 rocket, which is made by SpaceX.

The mission was first planned for June 10, then moved to June 11, but now it has no confirmed date. Engineers found the leak during a test on the launch pad. The leak is in the rocket’s propulsion system, and it must be fixed before the launch can take place safely.

This mission is very special for India because Shubhanshu Shukla will be the first Indian to travel to the International Space Station (ISS) since Rakesh Sharma did in 1984. Shukla will be the pilot on this mission. He will be joined by American astronaut Peggy Whitson and two other astronauts from Poland and Hungary.

The team will stay in space for 14 days. During the mission, Shukla will perform science experiments, including growing methi (fenugreek) and moong (green gram) seeds in space. These experiments were created by ISRO and the Department of Biotechnology with support from NASA.

SpaceX and Axiom Space are working hard to fix the leak and make sure the rocket is safe. They will announce a new launch date once everything is ready.

Though this delay is disappointing, safety is the top priority. Shubhanshu Shukla and the rest of the team will have to wait a bit longer for their exciting journey into space.