A landmark private astronaut mission featuring India, Poland, and Hungary's first astronauts in decades has been postponed indefinitely due to ongoing air leak concerns aboard the International Space Station (ISS). NASA announced Thursday that it will prioritize monitoring cabin pressure on the Russian segment before approving new visitors, emphasizing that current crew members remain safe and operations are unaffected.
The delay impacts SpaceX's planned 14-day mission, organized by Houston-based Axiom Space, which faced prior setbacks from weather and rocket issues. This marks Axiom's fourth commercial spaceflight since 2022, highlighting growing private sector involvement in low-Eorbit ventures.
NASA's Office of Inspector General has long flagged aging Russian modules as a "top safety risk," with cracks and leaks reported since 2018. Recent repairs to the Zvezda service module – launched in 2000 – temporarily stabilized pressure, but officials seek further analysis. Russian crew members conducted inspections and sealed sections of the module this week, with NASA confirming the segment is now "holding pressure."
The postponement allows NASA and the Russian Space Agency to assess whether additional repairs are needed. Retired NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, leading the Axiom crew, and her three teammates remain in quarantine in Florida awaiting a new launch date.
As NASA plans to retire the ISS by 2030, delays underscore challenges in maintaining aging infrastructure while transitioning to commercial stations. Axiom Space is among several companies vying to build successor platforms, signaling a pivotal shift in global space collaboration.
