New Delhi, June 10: As Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla prepares for a journey into space aboard the Axiom-4 mission, the Indian Air Force (IAF) on Tuesday extended heartfelt wishes to its officer and crew.

The much-anticipated mission to the International Space Station (ISS), originally slated for June 10, has been postponed by a day due to unfavourable weather conditions.

In a statement posted on X, the IAF wrote: "As Group Captain Shubahanshu Shukla prepares to embark on Axiom-4 space mission tomorrow, Chief of the Air Staff and all Air Warriors of IAF wish him and the entire crew of Axiom-4 all the best for a safe and successful trip to the International Space Station. This will add a new chapter to the Indian Space Odyssey. Touch the sky with glory!"

Group Captain Shukla, a distinguished officer of the Indian Air Force, is set to become one of the few Indians to visit the ISS, joining an elite cadre of Indian astronauts following the footsteps of Rakesh Sharma and others. His mission is being facilitated by Axiom Space, a US-based private space company, in collaboration with SpaceX and international space agencies.

The four-member Axiom-4 crew, including Shukla, will lift off aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The launch is now scheduled for June 11 at 8.00 a.m. ET (5.30 p.m. IST).

The mission has faced multiple delays, having initially been scheduled for May 29. It was first rescheduled to June 8 and then to June 10 before being pushed to June 11 due to persistent weather concerns.

Dr V. Narayanan, Chairman of ISRO, confirmed the latest postponement via social media: "Due to weather conditions, the launch of Axiom-4 mission for sending Indian Gaganyatri to International Space Station is postponed from 10th June 2025 to 11th June 2025," he posted.

The mission marks a significant step in India’s expanding role in global space exploration, especially as the nation prepares for its own ambitious Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme.

(IANS)

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