A highly anticipated private astronaut mission to the International Space Station (ISS) has been delayed indefinitely due to air leak concerns on the Russian side of the orbiting lab. This mission was set to mark the first time in decades that astronauts from India, Poland, and Hungary would travel to space.
NASA announced that it needs more time to monitor cabin pressure before accepting visitors. Officials have emphasized that the seven astronauts currently aboard the ISS are safe, and ongoing operations remain unaffected.
The mission, organized by Houston-based Axiom Space, involved four private astronauts scheduled for a 14-day stay on the ISS. They were supposed to launch aboard a SpaceX rocket this week, but unfavorable weather and rocket issues initially delayed the flight. Now, the air leak situation has caused further postponement.
The Russian Space Agency has been dealing with cracks and air leaks in its station compartments for over five years, which NASA’s Office of Inspector General has labeled “a top safety risk.” Recent repairs led to what NASA describes as “a new pressure signature.” While additional details are limited, the three Russian cosmonauts aboard the ISS have inspected and sealed certain areas of the Zvezda service module, launched in 2000.
“Following this effort, the segment now is holding pressure,” NASA stated in an online update. The delay allows NASA and the Russian Space Agency to “evaluate the situation” and determine if more repairs are necessary.
Kam Ghaffarian, executive chairman of Axiom Space, expressed support for the decision. “This is the right thing to do,” he said in a statement. “We will continue to work with all of our partners to finalize a new launch date.” The private crew, led by retired NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, now an Axiom Space employee, will remain in quarantine in Florida.
Looking ahead, NASA plans to keep the ISS operational until 2030 before decommissioning it. The agency aims to replace it with multiple privately owned space stations, with companies like Axiom Space poised to fill the gap and continue human presence in low Earth orbit.
