ISRO Chief Reveals How India Saved Ax-4 Mission from Disaster by Halting Launch
In a remarkable testament to India’s growing prowess in space exploration, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chief Dr. V. Narayanan disclosed on July 11, 2025, how ISRO’s vigilance prevented a potential catastrophe during the Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) launch. The mission, which successfully carried India’s Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla to the International Space Station (ISS) on June 25, 2025, faced a critical safety issue with SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket. ISRO’s decisive intervention to halt the launch on June 10, 2025, after detecting a liquid oxygen leak and a crack in the rocket’s booster, ensured the safety of Shukla and his crew. This blog delves into the events leading to the launch cancellation, ISRO’s pivotal role, and the broader implications for India’s space program as of July 12, 2025.
The Ax-4 Mission: A Historic Milestone
Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), a collaboration between NASA, SpaceX, Axiom Space, and ISRO, marked a historic moment for India. Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, a 39-year-old Indian Air Force pilot, became the first Indian to visit the ISS and the second Indian astronaut in space, following Rakesh Sharma’s 1984 Soyuz mission. Launched on June 25, 2025, from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon Grace on a Falcon 9 rocket, the 14-day mission included Shukla as the mission pilot, alongside commander Peggy Whitson (U.S.), and mission specialists Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski (Poland) and Tibor Kapu (Hungary). The crew conducted 60 scientific experiments, including seven from ISRO, focusing on space nutrition, biology, and microgravity effects, contributing to India’s Gaganyaan program.
However, the mission’s success was nearly jeopardized by a critical flaw in the launch vehicle, which ISRO’s team identified and addressed through rigorous safety protocols.
The Near-Disaster: A Flawed Falcon 9
The Ax-4 launch, initially scheduled for May 29, 2025, faced multiple postponements due to technical issues with the Crew Dragon’s electrical harness, Falcon 9’s preparedness, and weather conditions at Kennedy Space Center. By June 10, 2025, the launch was set for the following day, but ISRO’s 13-member team, stationed at the Kennedy Space Center, detected a serious issue during pre-launch inspections. A seven-second hot-fire test revealed a liquid oxygen (LOX) leak in the Falcon 9’s propulsion bay, followed by the discovery of a crack in an oxidizer line in the booster stage.
SpaceX initially proposed a temporary “purge” to mitigate the leak, with William Gerstenmaier, SpaceX’s Vice President for Build and Flight Reliability, claiming the rocket was “fully ready to fly.” However, ISRO Chief Dr. V. Narayanan, an expert in liquid propulsion systems, deemed this solution inadequate. Speaking at Presidency University, Narayanan recounted, “I was leading the team, and after thorough discussions, we decided not to accept the takeoff. On the evening of June 10, we informed the SpaceX team to call off the launch. My team was not confident about the rocket’s integrity and refused to participate.”
ISRO’s stance was supported by the Hungarian and Polish delegations, reflecting a unified commitment to safety. Narayanan insisted on in-situ repairs or replacement of the faulty components, followed by low-temperature leak tests to validate the rocket’s integrity. This rigorous approach averted a potential disaster, as a LOX leak could have led to catastrophic failure during launch, kindizing the lives of Shukla and his crew.
ISRO’s Vigilance: A Triumph of Safety and Expertise
ISRO’s intervention highlights its uncompromising commitment to safety and precision, rooted in decades of experience with complex missions like Chandrayaan and Aditya-L1. The agency’s 13-member team, equipped with expertise in liquid propulsion and quality assurance, played a pivotal role in scrutinizing the Falcon 9’s systems. Narayanan, who contributed to India’s cryogenic engine development, emphasized the risks of LOX leaks, which can cause explosions or structural failures in rockets.
The decision to halt the launch was not without resistance. Some dismissed ISRO’s concerns as overly cautious, but Narayanan’s resolve prevailed. India’s Science Minister, Dr. Jitendra Singh, backed the decision, stating, “Safety, precision, and commitment to excellence were paramount.” Axiom Space’s Executive Chairman, Kam Ghaffarian, later acknowledged ISRO’s role, noting, “We appreciate the incredible work of our customers, NASA, and SpaceX on this mission. This is the right thing to do.”
The issue was compounded by a separate air leak in the ISS’s Zvezda module, detected by ISRO and NASA, which further delayed the launch to June 25, 2025, after repairs and pressure tests. ISRO’s recommendation for on-site repairs and validation ensured the mission proceeded only when all systems were deemed safe.
Impact on India’s Space Ambitions
The Ax-4 mission is a precursor to ISRO’s Gaganyaan program, India’s first indigenous human spaceflight mission, targeted for 2026. Shukla’s role as mission pilot, involving spacecraft operations during launch, docking, and return, provided critical experience for Gaganyaan’s four selected astronauts, who trained alongside Shukla in Russia and India. The seven ISRO-designed experiments—studying microalgae, crop seeds, tardigrades, and muscle regeneration in microgravity—will yield data to enhance India’s space biology research, vital for long-duration missions.
India invested ₹550 crore ($59 million) to secure Shukla’s seat and training, a strategic move to bolster Gaganyaan’s development. Narayanan highlighted the mission’s significance, stating, “Today, astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla and the entire mission are safe. India is second to none.” The successful launch and docking on June 26, 2025, marked a proud moment, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Droupadi Murmu congratulating Shukla for carrying “the hopes and dreams of a billion hearts.”
Broader Implications for Global Space Cooperation
ISRO’s intervention underscores the importance of international collaboration in human spaceflight, where safety is non-negotiable. The Ax-4 mission, involving NASA, ESA, and the Hungarian Space Office, demonstrated the power of collective expertise, with ISRO’s vigilance complementing SpaceX’s engineering and NASA’s oversight. The incident also highlights the risks of over-reliance on commercial providers like SpaceX, whose “band-aid-like” solutions were deemed insufficient by ISRO’s standards.
Posts on X, such as those from @rocketgyan and @imsktripathi, celebrated ISRO’s role, with users praising the agency’s “sophisticated quality assurance team” and Narayanan’s leadership in averting a disaster. However, these sentiments, while reflective of public pride, await independent verification of the full extent of the Falcon 9’s issues.
Lessons from the Past: Aviation and Space Safety
The Ax-4 near-miss echoes recent aviation incidents, like the June 2025 Air India 787 Dreamliner crash in Ahmedabad, which killed over 260 people due to pilot error, not mechanical failure. While unrelated to Ax-4, such events underscore the critical need for rigorous safety protocols, as human lives depend on flawless execution. ISRO’s proactive stance aligns with its history of precision, seen in missions like Chandrayaan-3’s lunar landing, and sets a benchmark for future collaborations.
Conclusion
ISRO’s decisive action to halt the Ax-4 launch on June 10, 2025, after detecting a liquid oxygen leak and crack in SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, averted a potential disaster and ensured the safe journey of Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla to the ISS. Dr. V. Narayanan’s leadership and ISRO’s rigorous safety protocols highlight India’s growing stature in global space exploration. As a stepping stone to the Gaganyaan program, Ax-4’s success reinforces ISRO’s commitment to excellence and safety, inspiring a new generation of Indian scientists and astronauts. For the latest updates, refer to credible sources like India Today or ISRO’s official website.
Disclaimer: Details of the Falcon 9’s technical issues are based on ISRO’s statements and media reports, which require independent verification. Always consult official sources for the most accurate information.
