MOSCOW (dpa-AFX) - The launch of Axiom Mission 4, the fourth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, has been postponed indefinitely due to a glitch in the destination.
Russian cosmonauts aboard the International Space Station recently detected a 'new pressure signature' in the Zvezda service module, part of the Russian segment of the ISS, NASA said.
'As part of an ongoing investigation, NASA is working with Roscosmos to understand a new pressure signature, after the recent post-repair effort in the aft most segment of the International Space Station's Zvezda service module,' the U.S. space agency said in a statement.
'Cosmonauts aboard the space station recently performed inspections of the pressurized module's interior surfaces, sealed some additional areas of interest, and measured the current leak rate. Following this effort, the segment now is holding pressure,' it added.
NASA said the postponement of Axiom Mission 4 provides additional time for it and the Russian space agency to evaluate the situation and determine whether any additional troubleshooting is necessary.
A new launch date for the fourth private astronaut mission will be provided 'once available', according to it.
After three previous postponements, the mission was set to launch from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 8 a.m. ET, Wednesday, but it was cancelled after detecting a a liquid oxygen leak.
The four-member crew, led by veteran former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, was scheduled to travel to the orbiting laboratory on a new SpaceX Dragon spacecraft after launching on the company's Falcon 9 rocket.
Whitson, who is the director of human spaceflight at Axiom Space, will command the commercial mission, while Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla will serve as pilot. The two mission specialists are European Space Agency project astronaut Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary.
They will stay aboard the orbiting laboratory for approximately two-weeks, conducting science research, education, and commercial activities.
NASA's mission responsibility is for integrated operations, which begins during the spacecraft's approach to the space station.
As part of collaboration between NASA and Indian Space Research Organisation, Axiom Mission 4 delivers on a commitment highlighted by President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to send the first ISRO astronaut to the station.
The space agencies are participating in five joint science investigations and two in-orbit science, technology, engineering, and mathematics demonstrations. NASA and ISRO have a long-standing relationship built on a shared vision to advance scientific knowledge and expand space collaboration.
The private mission marks India, Poland, and Hungary's first government-sponsored human spaceflight in more than 40 years.
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