Shubhanshu Shukla ISS Launch: ISRO Reveals Halt Reason
Indian Astronaut’s ISS Mission Delayed Again Due to Weather
Updated June 10, 2025
The launch of Indian astronaut shubhanshu Shukla to the International Space Station (ISS) has been postponed once more because of unfavorable weather conditions, according to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). Axiom Space, in partnership with SpaceX, now aims to launch the Ax-4 mission on Wednesday, June 11, at 8 a.m. ET (5:30 p.m. IST) from Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The mission, which will send Shukla to the ISS, was initially slated for may 29 but faced subsequent delays, first to June 8 and then to June 10. High winds in the ascent corridor prompted the latest postponement, SpaceX reported.
“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,” Dr. V. Narayanan, chairman of ISRO, stated in a social media post.
SpaceX has scheduled a backup launch possibility for June 12 at 7:37 a.m. ET.
Upon successful completion of the flight,Shukla will become the first Indian citizen to visit the ISS and the second Indian to venture into space,following Rakesh Sharma’s 1984 mission to Salyut 7.
shukla’s mother,speaking from Lucknow,told IANS that the family feels “immense pride” in his accomplishments.
Shukla will serve as the mission pilot alongside Commander Peggy Whitson of the U.S. The crew also includes mission specialists Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland and Tibor Kapu from Hungary.
Once aboard the ISS, Group Captain Shukla of the Indian Air Force is scheduled to carry out experiments focused on food and nutrition. These experiments, a collaboration between ISRO, the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), and NASA, seek to advance space nutrition and create self-sustaining life support systems crucial for extended space missions. The research will investigate how microgravity and space radiation affect edible microalgae, a potentially valuable nutrient source.
The study will monitor growth parameters and analyze changes in the transcriptomes, proteomes, and metabolomes of various algal species in space compared to those on Earth. This research is vital for developing lasting food sources for long-duration space travel and understanding the effects of space conditions on biological systems, contributing to advancements in space nutrition and life support technologies.
What’s next
The Axiom-4 mission team will continue to monitor weather conditions and prepare for the next launch opportunity on June 11. If that launch is also delayed, the backup date of June 12 will be considered. The successful launch and completion of Shukla’s mission will mark a meaningful milestone for India’s space program and contribute valuable data to the field of space nutrition.