Mission Delay Revealed through AXIOM-4 Leak: Understanding Spacecraft Launch Timing Decisions
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and its international partners have navigated a challenging period following a pressure leak issue on the Zvezda service module of the International Space Station (ISS). However, recent repairs have stabilised the situation, allowing for the successful launch of the Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) on June 25, 2025.
The Ax-4 mission, which carried a crew consisting of NASA's Peggy Whitson, ISRO’s Shubhanshu Shukla, and two European astronauts, was initially delayed due to concerns about air leaks. These issues were caused by a fresh pressure signature in the 24-year-old Zvezda service module. The cosmonauts onboard the ISS conducted repairs under Roscosmos’s management to address the problem.
Following these repairs, NASA has reported that the longstanding air leaks in a Russian segment transfer tunnel have stabilised. This development has reduced the risk for subsequent missions, including private missions like Axiom Space’s flights.
Looking ahead, continuous monitoring and potential further repairs by ISS crews and ground teams of NASA and Roscosmos will be essential to maintain safety and operational status. Cooperation between NASA, Roscosmos, SpaceX, and ISRO continues to ensure the ISS’s integrity and crew safety.
Meanwhile, ISRO is making strides in its own space programme. The organisation is conducting a twin-satellite docking demonstration in January 2025 as part of its technology roadmap towards an Indian space station by 2035. However, challenges remain, such as cost-overruns and foreign-exchange exposure in procuring critical components.
ISRO's human-spaceflight journey began with Squadron Leader Rakesh Sharma's Soyuz-T11 flight in 1984. Today, the organisation is working towards its Gaganyaan program, which aims for an uncrewed flight in 2026 and a crewed flight in 2027, following multiple abort-test successes in 2023-25.
The Gaganyaan program faces challenges, too. India relies on foreign launch corridors and Environmental Control and Life-Support Systems, which challenges the Atmanirbhar Bharat goals. Moreover, the limited number of flight-proven Indian astronauts restricts peer-learning cycles in the space program.
Despite these challenges, the future of India's space programme looks promising. The success of the Axiom Mission 4, in part due to the collaborative efforts of ISRO and its international partners, is a testament to the strides being made in space exploration. As ISRO continues to push the boundaries of space technology, the organisation is poised to play a significant role in the global space community.
- The success of the Axiom Mission 4, partly due to the collaborative efforts of ISRO and its international partners, provides a promising outlook for India's space program.
- Overcoming challenges such as cost-overruns and foreign-exchange exposure, ISRO is moving ahead with its technology roadmap, aiming for an Indian space station by 2035.
- ISRO's Gaganyaan program, with a planned uncrewed flight in 2026 and a crewed flight in 2027, requires overcoming challenges related to foreign launch corridors and Environmental Control and Life-Support Systems.
- The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is working towards its Gaganyaan program, while also dealing with the limited number of flight-proven Indian astronauts hindering peer-learning cycles.
- Cooperation between NASA, Roscosmos, SpaceX, and ISRO remains crucial for maintaining the International Space Station’s (ISS) integrity and crew safety, as well as ensuring the continued success of space exploration missions.
