Axiom-4 launch delay: SpaceX found engine trouble, leak in Falcon9 rocket

On Monday (June 9), during the final preparations for the Axiom-4 spaceflight mission and the static test firing of the Falcon 9 rocket, SpaceX officials said they found a liquid oxygen leak in the rocket booster, and in the steering systems of the 5th engine in the rocket. These observations were shared by William Gerstenmaier, Vice President, Build and Flight reliability, SpaceX, during a virtual press conference conducted by Axiom Space.

Due to weather-related reasons as well, the launch that was originally scheduled for 10th June, Tuesday, has been pushed to 11th June, Wednesday.

"We found a Liquid Oxygen(LOX) leak that we previously saw on this booster, during entry on its last mission," Gerstenmaier said. The Falcon 9 rocket uses Rocket-grade Kerosene fuel and super-cooled liquid oxygen as the oxidizer. The mix of fuel and oxidizer have to burn to generate thrust for a rocket's liftoff and flight. SpaceX reuses its rocket boosters, which is why they say that they previously observed the same issue in this booster.

"We discovered we had not fully repaired the booster during refurbishment, or we did not find a leak and did not get it corrected. We are continuing to troubleshoot that at the launchpad. Will have that completed today (Monday)," Gerstenmaier added. He added that they have readied a solution (installing a purge) that will mitigate the leak if it still continues on launch day. We will be fully ready to go fly, he expressed.

Further, he added that SpaceX teams discovered a problem with the Thrust Vector Control(TVC) systems in the rocket's 5th engine. The first stage(booster) of the Falcon 9 rocket has nine engines and the problem was noted in the 5th engine. Thrust Vector Control is the method used to steer a rocket by changing the direction of the thrust produced by its engines. It is used to manoeuvre the rocket during launch and flight. In SpaceX's case, TVC is used even to land the rocket booster for re-use. "The change of components have already been done. We will be ready to support launch as early as tomorrow(Tuesday)", he said.

"SpaceX is targeting Wednesday, June 11 for Falcon 9’s launch of Axiom Space’s Axiom Mission 4 to the International Space Station from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Launch is targeted for 8:00 a.m. ET, with a backup opportunity available on Thursday, June 12 at 7:37 a.m. ET," the firm announced. It was said that the postponement was due to high winds in the flight path of the rocket.

About Axiom-4 Human Spaceflight mission

Axiom-4 will carry a crew of four astronauts to the International Space Station, where they would stay for two weeks and perform 60 experiments. The astronauts would be flying on the SpaceX Falcon9 rocket and the Crew Dragon capsule. Peggy Whitson, veteran NASA astronaut and director of human spaceflight at Axiom Space, will command the Axiom-4 mission, while ISRO (Indian Space Research Organization) astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla will serve as pilot or second-in-command. The two mission specialists are ESA (European Space Agency) project astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski of Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary.

This mission will facilitate the return to human spaceflight for India, Poland, and Hungary, given that each nation’s first and only government-sponsored spaceflight had taken place more than 40 years ago. The Ax-4 crew members will represent their nations in Low Earth Orbit and perform scientific experiments and demonstrations that are of high national importance.

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla will be the first Indian to fly to the International Space Station, and the second Indian to fly to space after Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma, who flew on a Soviet Mission in 1984. The Indian Government has paid almost $64mn(Rs.550cr) for Shukla's training and spaceflight as part of Axiom-4.

As he circles the earth, Shukla will also be performing experiments in STEM(Science, Tech, Engineering, Math), and these will be made available as recorded educational videos, as part of the Axiom-4 mission outreach activity. He will also be having a video interaction with students from India. "Our astronaut will be directly interacting with the student community... two such events we are planning across the country," Sudeesh Balan, Project Director at ISRO had told WION's Sidharth.M.P.

In a pre-launch media briefing, Indian Astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla had said that he is excited about all aspects of the Axiom-4 spaceflight. "As I stand at the threshold of a 14-day mission to the Space Station, I reflect on the path that has brought me here. From diverse systems to advanced platforms across continents and cultures, this training has been intense and deeply rewarding. Behind every minute in space likes months, years of preparation," he remarked. For the fortnight-long mission, I carry with me not just instruments and equipment, but the hopes and dreams of a billion hearts, he added.

Shukla will be also carrying a special gift as a tribute to India's first astronaut Rakesh Sharma. "I will be carrying something for him... I haven't revealed it to him. I will hand it over to him personally," he added.

Both Shukla and Sharma(now retired) are Indian Air Force test pilots. Interestingly, Shukla was born in the year 1984, when Sharma became the first and only Indian to fly to space.