Updated: July 10, 2025 12:42 IST The Ax-4 crew speak about research on the mission on July 8 2025 [File] | Axiom Space The return of Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla and his fellow Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) crew members from the International Space Station (ISS) has been delayed beyond the originally planned two-week mission. According to the European Space Agency (ESA), the crew is now expected to return no earlier than July 14. However, this date is not yet confirmed and is subject to change based on several conditions. Notably, there has been no official confirmation from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) regarding the return schedule. The Ax-4 mission began on June 25, when SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket successfully launched the Dragon spacecraft named Grace, carrying four astronauts—Mission Commander Peggy Whitson, Pilot Shubhanshu Shukla, and Mission Specialists Stawosz Uznański-Wiśniewski and Tibor Kapu. After a 28-hour journey, the capsule docked with the ISS on June 26. Scientific work officially began on June 27, marking the start of their planned 14-day mission. By the original timeline, the mission was expected to end by July 10. But ESA, in a media advisory, stated that the return of its astronaut Stawosz Uznański-Wiśniewski—and therefore the entire Ax-4 crew—will not take place before July 14. The advisory also noted that this date is provisional and depends on the undocking schedule of the Dragon spacecraft and favourable landing conditions on Earth. The ESA astronaut is expected to return to Cologne, Germany, home of the European Astronaut Centre (EAC), only after the spacecraft's successful return. "Mission extensions like this are not unusual. Delays often happen due to technical checks, space weather conditions, or the need for safe landing zones on Earth. Past issues such as a liquid oxygen leak in the Falcon 9 rocket and an air leak in the ISS's Zvezda module show how even small problems can lead to changes in schedule," remarked space analyst Girish Linganna. However, astronauts are mentally and physically prepared for such extensions and prolonged stay in space. Space agencies, including ISRO, NASA, ESA, and Axiom Space, prepare astronauts for a wide range of scenarios—both expected and unexpected. Also Read