A SpaceX Falcon 9 awaiting launch at SLC-40 in Cape Canaveral
SpaceX is set to launch Falcon 9 and the SES-operated O3b mPower satellites this evening from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral. Liftoff is set for 05:12 PM ET, with a two hour window extending to 07:12 PM ET.
Official weather forecasts have given the mission a 50/50 chance for acceptable weather, with roughly a 25% chance of thunderstorms in the launch area during the launch window. Keep in mind that acceptable conditions consider more than just rain, it also includes thunderstorm activity in the launch area as well as the lightning potential in the immediate vicinity of the rocket. To learn more about launch commit criteria, click here.
Boeing’s 9th and 10th O3b mPOWER satellites—launched in partnership with SES—will bolster the company’s push to deliver global connectivity from space. Leveraging Boeing’s fully software-defined payload technology, these satellites can dynamically allocate power to match user demand.
Today will mark the sixth mission for Falcon 9 first stage booster B1096, and after completing its share of the mission, the booster will touch down offshore on ASDS ‘Just Read The Instructions.’
Weather
The 45th Weather Squadron of Space Launch Delta 45 of the US Space Force gives a 50% chance for weather to be acceptable during the launch window:
SpaceX will have a livestream of the launch on their website: O3B MPower Mission. This will also be available on the X platform. Coverage starts about fifteen minutes before liftoff.
Spaceflight Now will have coverage of the launch starting about one hour before liftoff on Youtube: link
For official updates regarding launch times, SpaceX.com is the best source of information. Starlink launch times change from time to time, and the company generally updates their website within minutes of the decision to change the launch time. This is very handy if none of the streaming options on YouTube have started their broadcasts.
Remember that there is a delay between a launch stream and the actual countdown clock. That is simply because of physics: it takes time for the signal to travel from the launch site, through the Internet, and back down to your phone, resulting in a five to fifteen-second delay.
Next Space Flight an app for iOS and Android phones, has a real-time countdown clock that is accurate to a second, give or take. The app is free. Search the App Store or Google Play. They are also on the web: nextspaceflight.com.
Launch Viewing: In Person
The best free options are available for spectators: Northern Titusville parks on Washington Avenue / US-1 are your best bets: Space View Park, Sands Park, Rotary Riverfront Park.
The Space Bar will be open through the launch window. New York New York in Titusville will be open to roughly 7 PM, and is a great place to watch as well. Restaurants in Port Canaveral, specifically Gators Dockside, Fishlips and Grills Seafood should have good views after the rocket clears obstructions.
A Timelapse of Falcon 9’s ascent on the Kuiper KF-01 Mission Photo: SpaceX
SpaceX launched 27 Kuiper satellites for Amazon aboard a Falcon 9 last night from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Liftoff was at 2:30 AM ET.
This morning’s launch was the debut flight for SpaceX’s newest Falcon 9 booster, B1096. It flew flawlessly, and touched down safely aboard ASDS ‘A Shortfall of Gravitas’ about eight and a half minutes after liftoff. B1096 and ASOG will now return to Port Canaveral in a few days, where the booster will be offloaded and returned to SpaceX’s Hangar X at Kennedy Space Center. There, it will be inspected, refurbished and prepared for its next mission.
While the first stage was touching down at sea, the second stage and payload continued towards orbit, which it achieved roughly at the same time as B1096’s touchdown. At T+0:52:43, the second stage was reignited to place the payloads in the final orbit, and the payload released shortly thereafter.
Successful deployment of all KF-01 satellites confirmed
Project Kuiper, a subsidiary of Amazon founded in April 2019, will deploy a constellation of 3,236 Low Earth orbit satellites to deliver low-latency broadband connectivity worldwide. The Federal Communications Commission granted Amazon approval on July 30, 2020, to launch and operate half of its satellites (1,618) by July 30, 2026, with the remainder due by July 30, 2029, and service is slated to begin once the first 578 satellites are in orbit. Under the leadership of president Rajeev Badyal, Kuiper Systems LLC is positioning itself to bridge digital divides and support Amazon Web Services clients across underserved regions.
If that sounds just like Starlink, it is, more or less. The two services are competitors, albeit a competition with Starlink that is many years, thousands of satellites, and millions of customers ahead of Amazon, who is just getting started building out their constellation.
Full‐scale deployment of Project Kuiper commenced in April 2025 with United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V rockets launching the initial batches, followed by a second Atlas V mission on June 23.
Amazon has earmarked around $23 billion for Kuiper’s build-out, primarily to cover launch and manufacturing costs, and projects annual revenue of $7.2 billion by 2032 with up to seven million subscribers. The company has secured 92 launches from United Launch Alliance, ArianeGroup, and Blue Origin—along with additional slots on SpaceX rockets—to accelerate its rollout, and plans three consumer service tiers offering speeds up to one gigabit per second.
As Amazon races to match SpaceX’s Starlink, which already boasts over six million users, Project Kuiper represents a strategic bet on owning its digital infrastructure and tapping into a satellite internet market forecast to exceed $1 trillion in the coming decade.
SpaceX feed showing an infrared camera capture of Axiom 4’s descent this morning Via: SpaceX
Early Tuesday morning, July 15 at 5:31 AM Eastern Time, SpaceX’s Dragon capsule “Grace” brought the crew of Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) back to Earth with a smooth splashdown off the southern California coast. They had undocked from the International Space Station just over 22 hours earlier, at 6:15 a.m. CT on Monday, July 14. The landing marks the end of a successful 18-day journey in low Earth orbit.
Commander Peggy Whitson of the United States led the four-person team, which also included Pilot Shubhanshu Shukla of India and Mission Specialists Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski from Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary. Their flight marked a historic return to space for India, Poland, and Hungary—each country’s first astronaut mission in more than four decades—and the inaugural ISS expeditions for all three.
“Ax-4 illustrates the power of commercial partnerships in opening space to more nations,” said Tejpaul Bhatia, CEO of Axiom Space. “By giving Indian, Polish, and Hungarian astronauts hands-on access to the orbiting laboratory, we’re broadening global participation in human spaceflight and laying the groundwork for a dynamic low-Earth-orbit economy.”
The Axiom 4 crew. Photo: Axiom Space
During their stay aboard the station, the crew carried out over 60 experiments spanning life sciences, materials physics, Earth observation, and cutting-edge technology tests. Those investigations, drawn from 31 countries, underscore the mission’s international reach and its role in pushing the frontiers of microgravity research.
Beyond the lab work, the Ax-4 astronauts took part in more than 20 outreach events—engaging with students, government leaders, researchers, media outlets, and aspiring spacefarers—to share insights from their mission, spark curiosity about STEM, and demonstrate the value of global teamwork in space exploration.
Ax-4 is the fourth private astronaut flight Axiom Space has arranged to the ISS, making it the only company so far to have sent private crews into orbit. These ventures not only give governments, universities, companies, and private citizens direct access to space but also pave the way toward Axiom’s ultimate goal: building and operating Axiom Station, the first commercial space habitat.
Previous Axiom missions have carried crew members from the U.S., Spain, Israel, Canada, Saudi Arabia, Italy, Türkiye, and Sweden, in partnership with ESA. With Ax-4’s success, Axiom Space continues to demonstrate the value of international collaboration and the promise of a new era in commercial spaceflight.
Work on SpaceX’s Starship tower at LC-39A is underway. In the background, the Falcon 9 that carried the Ax-4 mission to orbit in a Crew Dragon is visible. Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
July 11, 2025: it’s been over a year since the public scoping period for the FAA’s Environmental Impact Statement, and no Draft EIS or even a date for one has been announced for SpaceX’s Starship-Super Heavy project at Launch Complex 39A at KSC.
Casual onlookers may wonder if something is awry, but that’s probably not the case. The wheels of government turn slowly and often do so silently, and an announcement could come any day.
Two Separate Facilities, Two Seperate EIS
Many people who don’t live at the Space Coast don’t realize that Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station are two adjoining but separately managed facilities. NASA operates KSC, of course, and SpaceX leases LC-39A from the government at KSC. Cape Canaveral SFS, located southeast of Kennedy, is a US Space Force Military facility and is operated by the Department of the Air Force. SpaceX leases SLC-40 at CCSFS and seeks to lease LC-37 there.
There are even gates between the two facilities, though they don’t seem to ever close. There is great cooperation between the Space Force and NASA, and they often work together when needed.
In this facilities map, the two different facilities that make up KSC and Cape Canaveral Space Force station are clearly visible. In green is KSC and in yellow is CCSFS Map: NASA
That’s important, because there are two authorities conducting two Environmental Impact Statements for two different launch pads: LC-37 and LC-39A. The former is the retired site of United Launch Alliance’s Delta IV Heavy rocket, which flew its last flight last year.
The last Delta IV Heavy on the launch pad at LC-37 last year. It’s successful flight marked the end of an era. Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
The latter, LC-39A, is of course the historic launch facility that served Apollo and STS (Shuttle) missions in its long and storied career. SpaceX has made their own history at LC-39A: the return of crew to orbit after a long gap following the end of the Shuttle program, the launch site of Falcon Heavy and other commercial spaceflight firsts.
Apollo 17 stands tall at LC-39A in 1972. It was the penultimate launch of a Saturn V. Photo: NASA
Current Status
The EIS process for LC-39A continues to be underway. No statements otherwise have been released by any of the parties involved, so it is safe to say that work is continuing.
SpaceX is preparing the EIS under FAA supervision, analyzing the environmental impacts of proposed Starship-Super Heavy operations, including up to 44 launches per year, infrastructure construction; a Super Heavy booster catch tower, propellant systems, and stormwater/deluge ponds), and landings at LC-39A or on a droneship.
The process is evaluating changes from the 2019 Environmental Assessment (EA), which found no significant impact but did not account for the current scope of operations. The next step is the release of the draft EIS for public review and comment, followed by a final EIS and a Record of Decision.
Release Date of the LC-39A Draft EIS
There is no specific release date publicly announced for the draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for SpaceX’s Starship-Super Heavy project at LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) initiated the EIS process with a Notice of Intent published on May 9, 2024, and held public scoping meetings in June 2024.
Based on typical EIS timelines (often 12-18 months) and the FAA’s ongoing work, the draft EIS is likely to be released in mid-to-late 2025. For comparison, the draft EIS for Starship launches at Space Launch Complex 37 (SLC-37) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station was released on June 6, 2025, after a scoping period starting in February 2024, fifteen months earlier. The LC-39A EIS Draft should come in the next 5-6 months, or roughly the same time as a final decision on LC-37 is due, according to DAF project timelines.
New Federal NEPA Rules
The FAA has issued a notice rescinding its existing National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) implementing procedures outlined in FAA Order 1050.1F, Environmental Impacts: Policies and Procedures, and replacing them with streamlined procedures in FAA Order 1050.1G. This change is driven by Executive Order 14154 of the President, entitled “Unleashing American Energy.”
The new order accelerates environmental reviews projects by imposing strict timelines and page limits on EISs (e.g., 2-year completion cap), expanding CATEX (Categorical Exclusion) usage, allowing combined exclusions, and promoting early collaboration to minimize delays. This aligns with the Trump Administration’s policy to expedite permitting. That could potentially benefit commercial space operators like SpaceX by shortening review periods for future licenses or modifications, thus supporting faster integration of technologies like Starship.
However, for the specific ongoing EIS for SpaceX’s Starship-Super Heavy operations at LC-39A, the new rules should not apply directly. Order 1050.1G applies only to FAA actions requiring environmental review that “commence on or after” July 3, 2025, and since the LC-39A EIS was started in 2024, the new order is moot.
Responsible Agencies
There is a mix of federal agencies responsible for completing aspects of the LC-39A EIS.
Lead Agency:Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), responsible for overseeing the EIS process and issuing a commercial launch Vehicle Operator License to SpaceX if the final decision of the EIS is to allow work on 39A to proceed.
Preparing Entity: SpaceX, tasked with preparing the EIS under FAA supervision.
Multiple Cooperating Agencies:
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA): Manages KSC and leases LC-39A to SpaceX, providing oversight for space-related activities.permits.performance.gov
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS): Manages the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, which includes KSC property, and provides expertise on wildlife impacts.permits.performance.gov
National Park Service (NPS): Oversees Canaveral National Seashore, partially within KSC boundaries, and contributes expertise on affected lands.permits.
U.S. Coast Guard (USCG): Involved due to maritime safety and airspace closures for launches.
Department of the Air Force (DAF): Coordinates due to proximity to Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and shared range.
For the most current LC-39A information, check the FAA’s website (www.faa.gov) or the project-specific page at :
In the overnight hours this morning, SpaceX achieved a landmark in its launch manifest: the company’s 500th Falcon 9 flight. Launching on its 500th mission overall, the Falcon 9 rocket roared off from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 2:28 a.m. EDT (0628 UTC).
The flight also set a new high-water mark for booster reuse, as first stage B1067 chalked up its 29th trip to space and back when it touched down safely aboard ASDS ‘A Shortfall of Gravitas.’ That’s more flights than any other Falcon booster on record. To put it into perspective, this morning’s flight of B1067 is one more than Columbia, the Shuttle orbiter that flew 28 missions before tragedy struck it and its crew during re-entry in February 2003. It is also ten less than the all-time reuse leader, STS Orbiter Discovery, which flew 39 missions with the last being STS‑133 in March 2011. SpaceX has stated that their goal for Falcon 9 booster reuse is forty mission, and at this point in time, B1067 is nearly three-quarters of the way there.
Booster B1067 and ‘A Shortfall of Gravitas’ will now return to Port Canaveral, where the booster will be offloaded, returned to SpaceX’s Hangar X at Kennedy Space Center for inspection, refurbishment and preparation for its next mission at some date in the future.
Starlink Notes
Starlink 10-25 was the first Starlink launch of July and deployed 27 Starlink V2 Mini-Optimized satellites into a 279-kilometer orbit inclined 53.2 degrees to the equator. After a textbook ascent on a northeast trajectory, the second stage released its payload approximately 55 minutes after liftoff, marking another routine deployment for SpaceX’s rapidly growing broadband constellation.
Timelapse of Starlink 10-25 Photo: SpaceX
Starlink 10-25 added to the more than 7,900 operational satellites that make up the world’s largest low-Earth-orbit constellation, designed to deliver high-speed internet to underserved and remote regions around the globe. This latest batch of V2 Mini satellites is optimized for quicker deployment and greater data throughput, continuing SpaceX’s strategy of incremental upgrades to the network’s overall performance.
Beating The Weather
Meteorologists from the U.S. Space Force’s 45th Weather Squadron had forecast a 90 percent chance of favorable conditions for the pre-dawn launch, with only scattered cumulus clouds expected to drift through the Cape Canaveral area. Skies remained clear at ignition, ensuring uninterrupted visibility for the mission’s live webcast and ground observers alike.
Launch Replay
Next Launch
Setting
Value
Mission
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Starlink Group 10-28 Awaiting Confirmation
Organization
SpaceX
Location
Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
Rocket
Falcon 9
Pad
Space Launch Complex 40
Status
To Be Confirmed
Status Info
Awaiting official confirmation – current date is known with some certainty.
Window Opens
Tuesday, 07/08/2025 1:48:00 AM
Window Closes
Tuesday, 07/08/2025 5:48:00 AM
Destination
Low Earth Orbit
Mission Description
A batch of satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation – SpaceX’s project for space-based Internet communication system.
Florida has a unique climate: about 80% of the rain the Space Coast receives comes in summer, and this year is no different: the area has been in a slight drought for months, but now that it’s summer, the rains are back. Those rains might just put a kink in SpaceX’s plans tonight as it plans to launch the MTG-S1 satellite from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center.
According to SpaceX, “The 150-minute window opens at 5:04 p.m. ET. If needed, a backup launch opportunity is available on Wednesday, July 2 at the same time.” Today’s window ends at 7:32PM local time.
The 45th Weather Squadron, part of Space Launch Delta 45 of the US Space Force tells the tale pretty quickly: a weather system south of us has been pumping storms along its boundary. As a result, there is only a 20% chance for weather conditions to be acceptable during the launch window today, and it gets a bit worse tomorrow, July 2: only a 10% chance.
On the other hand, SpaceX can and does find gaps in the weather to get launches off of the pad, as they have proven time and time again that unfavorable weather forecasts can change minute by minute and that it only takes a gap where there are no thunderstorms nearby the launch pad for them to get the mission in safely.
Stay tuned.
SpaceX launched Falcon 9 carrying the ESA – Galileo L13 mission last September only minutes after this photograph was taken. Minutes after the launch, it was pouring rain on the Cape. Photo: Charles Boyer / ToT
At A Glance
Setting
Value
Mission
Falcon 9 Block 5 | MTG-S1
Organization
SpaceX
Location
Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
Rocket
Falcon 9
Pad
Launch Complex 39A
Status
Go for Launch
Status Info
Current T-0 confirmed by official or reliable sources.
Window Opens
Tuesday, 07/01/2025 5:04:00 PM
Window Closes
Tuesday, 07/01/2025 7:34:00 PM
Destination
Geostationary Transfer Orbit
Mission Description
Second of EUMETSAT’s third generation of weather satellite.
Trajectory
East, but slightly south towards the Equator. This is a typical path for weather satellites like MTG-S1.
Payload
According to ESA, “The Meteosat Third Generation Sounder satellite (MTG-S) will generate a completely new type of data product, especially suited to nowcasting severe weather events.”
They continue, “From an orbit 36 000 km from Earth, the MTG-S1 satellite is set to revolutionise the way we forecast severe weather. Unlike the imaging satellites, which complete the constellation of the MTG mission, MTG-S1 uses its Infrared Sounder to capture data on temperature, humidity and trace gases. Its data is used to generate three-dimensional maps of the atmosphere.
“This data will help to detect and predict rapidly evolving and potentially dangerous weather systems. It will support applications to provide more accurate weather warnings, helping communities prepare for storms, alert pilots to areas of invisible turbulence and support plans to mitigate climate risks – ultimately saving lives and reducing damage to property and infrastructure.
“This mission will change forecasting, using innovative space technology to bring us three-dimensional data on the atmosphere and enabling faster responses to extreme weather,” said Simonetta Cheli, ESA’s Director of Earth Observation Programmes, adding, “Throughout the development of this mission, I’ve been impressed by the dedication and expertise shown by the teams across ESA and our European partners, and I would like to thank everyone involved for their spirit of cooperation. Their hard work means that this mission will contribute to better forecasting to benefit citizens.”
SpaceX will have a livestream of the launch on their website: SpaceX MTG-S1. This stream will also be available on the X platform. Coverage starts about fifteen minutes before liftoff.
Spaceflight Now will have coverage of the launch starting about one hour before liftoff on Youtube: link
For official updates regarding launch times, SpaceX.com is the best source of information. Starlink launch times change from time to time, and the company generally updates their website within minutes of the decision to change the launch time. This is very handy if none of the streaming options on YouTube have started their broadcasts.
Remember that there is a delay between a launch stream and the actual countdown clock. That is simply because of physics: it takes time for the signal to travel from the launch site, through the Internet, and back down to your phone, resulting in a five to fifteen-second delay.
Next Space Flight an app for iOS and Android phones, has a real-time countdown clock that is accurate to a second, give or take. The app is free. Search the App Store or Google Play. They are also on the web: nextspaceflight.com.
Launch Viewing: In Person
The best free options are available for spectators: Northern Titusville parks on Washington Avenu / US-1 are your best bets: Space View Park, Sands Park, Rotary Riverfront Park.
The Space Bar will be open through the launch window. New York New York in Titusville will be open to roughly 7 PM, and is a great place to watch as well. Restaurants in Port Canaveral, specifically Gators Dockside, Fishlips and Grills Seafood should have good views after the rocket clears obstructions.
If you are planning to go and watch, be sure to be lightning aware and you might just need an umbrella.
Axiom 4 lifts off from LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center
After several delays, Axiom 4 is on its way to the International Space Station. The corporate mission, commanded by NASA veteran Peggy Whitson, lifted off at 2:31 AM Eastern Time from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 and Crew Dragon.
In addition to Whitson, Shubhanshu Shukla, an officer in the Indian Air Force and astronaut with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), will serve as the pilot. Mission specialists include Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski, a project astronaut with the European Space Agency (ESA) representing Poland, and Tibor Kapu from Hungary. Notably, this mission marks the first time astronauts from India, Poland, and Hungary will visit the ISS, representing each nation’s first government-sponsored human spaceflight in over 40 years.
Axiom 4 lifts off at 2:31 AM ET on Wednesday, January 25, 2025 Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
After several delays, Axiom 4 is on its way to the International Space Station. The corporate mission, commanded by NASA veteran Peggy Whitson, lifted off at 2:31 AM Eastern Time from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 and Crew Dragon.
In addition to Whitson, Shubhanshu Shukla, an officer in the Indian Air Force and astronaut with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), will serve as the pilot. Mission specialists include Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski, a project astronaut with the European Space Agency (ESA) representing Poland, and Tibor Kapu from Hungary. Notably, this mission marks the first time astronauts from India, Poland, and Hungary will visit the ISS, representing each nation’s first government-sponsored human spaceflight in over 40 years.
After a nominal ascent, Booster B1094 returned to land at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s LZ-1 about secen minutes and thirty nine seconds from liftoff. A few seconds later, Falcon 9’s second stage and Crew Dragon were reaching their initial orbit, which will be modified later as Axiom 4 begins chasing down ISS in earnest.
Docking is expected Thursday morning, around 7:00 AM ET.
After docking with Station, Axiom 4’s crew will begin a two-week stay aboard ISS, where they will conduct a number of experiments on behalf of their respective space agencies.
Axiom-4 Mission Objectives
Ax-4 will be a busy mission, as it is slated to conduct approximately 60 scientific experiments and activities involving participants from 31 nations, such as the United States, India, Poland, Hungary, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Nigeria, the United Arab Emirates, and various European countries. This marks the highest number of research initiatives undertaken on an Axiom Space mission to the International Space Station (ISS) thus far, highlighting the mission’s global importance and collaborative spirit in advancing microgravity research in low-Earth orbit (LEO).
The mission places a particular emphasis on scientific endeavors led by the countries represented in the Ax-4 crew, including the United States, India, Poland (in collaboration with the European Space Agency), and Hungary. The research conducted will enhance global understanding in areas such as human health, Earth observation, and life, biological, and material sciences, reflecting the space research capabilities of the crew’s home countries.
Axiom Space is also collaborating with research organizations and academic institutions to further investigate the effects of spaceflight on the human body and to explore how space-based research can lead to improvements in health and medical treatments on Earth. The mission underscores the significance of commercial and academic partnerships, as Axiom Space spearheads the development of a global research community and a sustainable economic ecosystem in LEO. The mission also sets the stage for Axiom Station, the first commercial space station, which will provide a permanent platform for research, manufacturing, and human spaceflight.
File photo of a Falcon 9 / Crew Dragon launching from LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
The delayed launch of Axiom 4 to the International Space Station will have to wait a little bit longer. The company announced today that the “space agency needs additional time to continue evaluating International Space Station operations after recent repair work in the aft (back) most segment of the orbital laboratory’s Zvezda service module.”
The delay is labeled as “indefinite” and no new launch target date has been announced.
The crew remains in quarantine, and the Falcon 9 and Crew Dragon planned for the flight remain in healthy condition and ready for the flight.”
The root cause of the delay is a series of micro-leaks in the Zvezda module, first detected months ago but considered under control after previous repair efforts. However, on June 14, cosmonauts aboard the ISS noted a fresh pressure signature in the aft segment of Zvezda, indicating that some seals may have degraded or reopened under flight conditions. Although the module has held pressure more consistently since the latest inspections, NASA and its Russian partners determined that more data were needed to rule out any risk to incoming crew.
On a blog update published last week, NASA detailed the troubleshooting steps taken by cosmonauts: interior surfaces were inspected, suspect seals were re-torqued, and additional leak-rate measurements were conducted. “Following the most recent repair, pressure in the transfer tunnel has been stable,” NASA wrote, “but additional time is required for Roscosmos and NASA to evaluate whether further action is necessary.” This review window now overlaps with the Monday launch opportunity, effectively ruling it out until the investigation concludes.
There are also ISS logistics to consider: Ax-4’s launch window is tightly constrained by orbital mechanics and ISS traffic. The current opportunity closes on June 30 to accommodate other scheduled resupply and crewed flights. Pushing through before fully resolving the leak could risk mission safety and station integrity, particularly given the interconnected life-support systems aboard the ISS. Axiom Space President Michael Suffredini emphasized that while commercial missions must adhere to tight timelines, safety remains the non-negotiable priority.
Axiom 4, the privately operated crewed spaceflight, now has a confirmed launch date of June 22, 2025. The mission is slated to lift off at 3:42 AM ET, from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center.
Originally scheduled for June 19, the flight window was pushed back as engineers addressed technical issues and concerns about the ISS leaks. The new timeline promises a mission duration ranging from 14 to 21 days to complete its planned research program.
“No one remembers launch delays, but no one ever forgets a real problem.”
–V.L. Pinson Sr., former ABMA and NASA veteran
The mission will utilize a Falcon 9 to carry the newly built Crew Dragon spacecraft C213 into low Earth orbit, marking the final Crew Dragon capsule to enter service in SpaceX’s original slate of capsules. The four-person crew—veteran astronaut Peggy Whitson commanding, Indian pilot Shubhanshu Shukla, ESA’s Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski, and Hungarian specialist Tibor Kapu—will conduct science and technology demonstrations aboard ISS during their flight.
Axiom Space first announced on April 3 that Ax-4 would launch no earlier than May, reflecting a cautious approach as technical reviews and ISS scheduling took shape.
By mid-April, the Ax-4 team was gearing up for a busy agenda aboard ISS with a target window of no earlier than late May. The packed schedule—includes biological experiments, materials science tests, and station maintenance tasks.
After some shifts to the right on the schedule, the mission stood ready to launch on June 10th, but weather in the ascent corridor forced mission managers to call of any launch attempt that day. The ascent corridor is the zone where Crew Dragon and its crew would land in the unlikely event of an abort. The zone extends offshore in the Atlantic Ocean from Kennedy Space all the way to Ireland, and weather inside it must be suitable — just in case.
The next day, the first launch attempt on June 11 was scrubbed after engineers detected a propellant leak in the rocket’s liquid oxygen system and called off the launch to remediate the issue.
Next, a pressure leak in the Zvezda service module on the ISS prompted NASA and Roscosmos to stabilize the module before approving further dockings, contributing to another postponement announced on June 12.
NASA, SpaceX and Axiom have now agreed on a launch attempt in the predawn hours of the first full day of summer: June 22nd. Falcon 9’s leaks have been resolved, the Space Station leak issue is now under control, and at this point, weather on the 22nd looks as though it will be acceptable for Axiom 4’s ascent into orbit.
The Indian Connection
For India’s space program, Ax-4 represents a milestone: it provides the first opportunity for an Indian astronaut to fly to ISS. Pilot and Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu “Shux” Shukla, part of ISRO’s cadre of astronauts, will carry out experiments developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation in fields ranging from microbial adaptation to muscle atrophy studies.
His flight will be the precursor to his upcoming flight aboard ISRO’s Gaganyaan-1, India’s first domestically built crewed orbital spacecraft. At 39, Shukla is a veteran test pilot, having flown everything from MiG-21s to Su-30s.
Gaganyaan capsule Photo: ISRO
One Of America’s Most Astronauts Commands
Tibor Kapu, courtesy Axiom Space
Axiom 4 will be commanded by Peggy Whitson—a former NASA chief astronaut and current Director of Human Spaceflight at Axiom Space—Ax-4 brings seasoned leadership to this venture. Whitson holds multiple Station records and is tasked with overseeing the flights to and from ISS. She has spent 665 days in space so far.
Poland and Hungary Returning To Spaceflight After 40 Years
Joining Whitson and Shukla is Sławosz Uznański, a Polish engineer and the first representative of his country in space since 1978. Back then, it was Mirosław Hermaszewski aboard a Soviet Soyuz. This time, it’s Uznański flying under the banner of the European Space Agency as a mission specialist. A former CERN engineer and ESA reserve astronaut, Uznański’s path to space was defined more by science than by spectacle. His role on Ax-4 emphasizes research, including a number of biomedical and Earth-monitoring experiments designed by Polish institutions.
Sławosz Uznański, courtesy Axiom Space
Hungary, too, is returning to space after a four-decade absence. Tibor Kapu, an engineer selected under the Hungarian government’s HUNOR program, became only the second Hungarian to ever fly in space. He beat out nearly 250 applicants for the role. The first, Bertalan Farkas, flew aboard a Soviet Soyuz spacecraft in 1980.
Kapu’s mission is both technical and symbolic. “This is not just a mission for Hungary,” he said before launch. “It’s for all the small nations looking toward the stars and asking if they can be part of the next chapter.”
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