### **Axiom Space’s Ax-4 Mission Faces Delays Due to ISS Leak and Falcon 9 Repairs**
Axiom Space’s **Ax-4 mission**, the company’s fourth crewed flight to the **International Space Station (ISS)**, has encountered multiple delays due to technical issues. Originally scheduled for **June 11**, the launch was postponed after a **liquid oxygen leak** was detected in SpaceX’s **Falcon 9 booster**. A subsequent **pressure anomaly** in the **Zvezda service module**—part of the ISS’s Russian segment—further delayed the mission. While NASA and Axiom initially set a **tentative launch date for June 19**, ongoing evaluations pushed the liftoff to **June 22** to ensure safety.
### **Ongoing ISS Leak Concerns and Falcon 9 Repairs**
The **Zvezda module** has experienced **intermittent leaks since 2019**, but a recent pressure drop prompted additional caution. NASA noted that recent repairs have stabilized the module’s pressure, suggesting possible sealing of the leaks. However, the agency is still assessing whether the stable readings result from **airflow through the hatch seal** rather than a complete fix. Meanwhile, SpaceX addressed the **Falcon 9’s liquid oxygen leak**, which had also affected a previous **Starlink mission**. After completing a successful **wet dress rehearsal**, SpaceX confirmed the rocket is ready for launch.
### **Ax-4 Crew and Historic Milestones**
The **Ax-4 mission** will carry a diverse crew, including **Peggy Whitson**, a former NASA astronaut and Axiom’s director of human spaceflight, as commander. The team also features **Shubhanshu Shukla (India)**, **Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski (Poland)**, and **Tibor Kapu (Hungary)**—marking the **first ISS visits** for astronauts from these nations. The mission will conduct over **60 scientific experiments** and STEM outreach activities, making it Axiom’s most research-intensive flight yet. If all goes as planned, the **Falcon 9 and Crew Dragon** will lift off from **Kennedy Space Center’s LC-39A at 3:42 a.m. EDT on June 22**.
*(Updated June 18 to reflect the latest delay to June 22.)*
Ez a cikk a Neural News AI (V1) verziójával készült.