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ISS issues, technical setbacks delay historic Axiom-4 mission

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Published  June 13, 2025 11:07pm EDT
Brevard County
FOX 35 Orlando
ISS issues, technical setbacks delay historic Axiom-4 mission

ISS issues, technical setbacks delay historic Axiom-4 mission

A series of technical and international setbacks are continuing to delay the highly anticipated Axiom-4 mission, originally expected to mark a major milestone in private spaceflight.

The Brief

    • Axiom-4's mission remains delayed due to weather, equipment issues, and an ongoing ISS leak.
    • Experts urge patience and caution as global partners assess safety and future station plans.
    • The uncertainty underscores growing challenges in the transition to commercial spaceflight.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - A series of technical and international setbacks are continuing to delay the highly anticipated Axiom-4 mission, originally expected to mark a major milestone in private spaceflight.

What we know:

The Axiom-4 mission, a significant private spaceflight effort, has faced repeated delays. Initial postponements stemmed from weather conditions and a liquid oxygen leak. Now, a leak in a Russian module aboard the International Space Station (ISS) is adding to the holdup, prompting further safety reviews and coordination among international partners.

What we don't know:

There is no clear timeline for when Axiom-4 will launch, nor a definitive assessment of how long the Russian module repair will take. The potential impact of repeated delays on the crew, mission goals, and future private spaceflight schedules remains uncertain. It’s also unclear how soon a viable replacement for the ISS could be operational if early deorbiting plans gain traction.

The backstory:

The ISS has served as a hub for international space collaboration since the early 2000s. Axiom-4 is part of the broader trend of commercializing low-Earth orbit, with companies like Axiom Space aiming to build private stations. The delays highlight both the promise and complexity of transitioning from government-led to commercial space operations.

What they're saying:

Russia’s space agency, Roscosmos, is currently addressing a leak on one of its ISS modules, raising concerns about the station’s readiness to accommodate the incoming Axiom-4 crew.

"This isn't something that they do on a normal, regular basis," said Don Platt, of the Florida Institute of Technology. "They really need to sit back and first make sure that all sides are happy with a plan to move forward, and then it seems to be working and then take a little bit of time after they do a fix to, to see how well that actually works."

The delays come as the future of the ISS itself becomes increasingly uncertain. The orbiting laboratory has been in service for nearly 30 years, and some — including SpaceX CEO Elon Musk — re calling for it to be deorbited as early as 2026, four years ahead of NASA’s current timeline.

But experts caution against acting too quickly.

"We've got to have a replacement before we willy nilly decide. It's too old. Let's junk it," Platt added. "You know, it's kind of like, again, with your car, you got to have another car to go to work the next day than before."

Companies like Axiom Space are developing next-generation commercial space stations, but those projects are still in the early stages of construction and testing.

For now, Axiom-4’s launch remains in limbo, as engineers and international partners work to resolve both Earth-bound and orbital obstacles.

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The Source: This story was written based on information shared by Axiom Space, NASA, and Don Platt, of the Florida Institute of Technology.

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