New Delhi, June 20 (H.S.): Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Space Science and Technology Dr. Jitendra Singh announced the postponement of Axiom Mission-4 (Axiom-4), which planned to carry four astronauts, including India's Shubhanshu Shukla, to the International Space Station (ISS). In a post on X, he mentioned,As per the information received, #NASA is standing down (withdrawing) from the launch of the mission, carrying four astronauts including India’s Shubhanshu Shukla, on the possible scheduled date June 22, and will target a new launch date in coming days.

Axiom Space, a private American company, is responsible for the mission in collaboration with NASA. Shubhanshu Shukla's participation has generated significant excitement in India, highlighting the country's involvement in private space flights.

Dr. Singh indicated that while there may be technical or safety reasons for the delay, NASA will provide official confirmation. The Axiom-4 mission will involve various scientific experiments at the ISS, marking a crucial step for India's space aspirations, with anticipation building for the new launch date.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar