The return of the historic Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) to Earth has been officially delayed, with the new date for undocking from the International Space Station (ISS) now set for today that is July 14, 2025, according to NASA and Axiom Space. The decision comes after a series of challenges, including a launch delay caused by critical technical concerns that India’s ISRO identified and helped to resolve.
Speaking at Presidency University, the ISRO Chairman recalled the tense moments leading up to the aborted launch on June 10. “I was leading the team and after thorough discussions, we decided not to accept the take off,” he stated. “My team was not confident about the rocket’s integrity and refused to participate hours before launch”, the ISRO team informed SpaceX of its decision to withdraw from the mission unless safety was assured.
Initially, major agencies dismissed ISRO’s caution as overly conservative. But what followed changed their position and a deeper inspection revealed a liquid oxygen (LOX) leak in the Falcon 9 booster, an issue that could have caused serious danger during launch. Thanks to ISRO’s insistence, that the flaw was caught in time, the mission was saved and Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, India’s pilot on the mission safely reached the ISS on June 26.
The return to Earth, originally scheduled for July 10, had to be rescheduled due to a mix of technical and operational factors. ISRO concerns of Falcon 9 rocket and high beta period has been concerning reasons, as a “high beta period” on the space station is when the angle between the ISS’s orbit and the Sun, becomes steep over 70 degrees.
During this time, the space station stays in direct sunlight for almost the entire time it circles the Earth. Due to near continuous sunlight overheating limits the operational window for spacecraft undocking process. According to NASA’s Commercial Crew Program manager Steve Stich, the target undocking time is 4:35 PM IST on July 14. After undocking from the Harmony Zenith port, the crew Dragon spacecraft will re-enter Earth’s atmosphere and touches the sea of the U.S. west coast, where recovery teams will receive the astronauts. This change in undocking isn’t unusual, as previously private missions like Axiom-1 and Axiom-3 also saw extended stays on the ISS due to similar weather-related issues.
Science Continues in Orbit
Despite the delay, the Ax-4 mission team has remained fully active on the ISS. During Ax-4 stay, crew are carrying out over 60 scientific experiments, including four completed experiments in collaboration with Indian institutions and ISRO. These include studies on microgravity’s effect on human health, plant growth, microalgae research, material testing and most important is the resilience of Tardigrades.
Such experiments are expected to provide valuable data not just for academic research, but also for upcoming missions under India’s Gaganyaan program, which aims to send Indian astronauts to space with help of indigenous launch system by 2026–27.
In this high uncertain period, the astronauts are also sharing lighter moments, enjoying cultural exchanges onboard. Axiom Mission reports mention’s that Shubhanshu Shukla shared meals including Aam Ras, Gajar ka Halwa and other favourite foods with other crew members
The delay in returning to Earth is not a setback, but rather a reflection of the seriousness with which ISRO stands above all and ensures that astronauts are not just passengers in space but the beacon of future.
ISRO’s timely intervention before launch and its continued contribution to experiment monitoring and coordination, has earned the agency praise from global partners. As ISRO now prepares for its own human spaceflight program, the lessons from Axiom-4 mission will serve as a solid foundation for safety and scientific integrity. This mission stands as a shining example of international collaboration, technical excellence and India’s rising role in space exploration.
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