The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman, V. Narayanan, on Thursday (August 21, 2025), stated the Falcon 9 rocket crew that launched Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla to the International Space Station (ISS) took the pre-launch leak within the oxidiser line to one of many engines “lightly”. He stated that had it not been for the ISRO’s insistence on a full-fledged take a look at, the leak may have induced a “catastrophic failure” of the Axiom-4 mission that efficiently ferried 4 astronauts to the ISS and introduced them again.
The mission was aboard the SpaceX-owned Falcon 9 rocket, which has a observe document of profitable missions to the ISS. It was the primary time in 40 years that an Indian made it to house. Costing India practically ₹548 crore, the mission is believed to offer helpful data for ISRO’s upcoming manned flight missions resembling Gaganyaan, scheduled for mid-2027.
The Axiom-4 mission was imagined to be launched on June 11, after the fourth rescheduling, however that was postponed when a liquid oxygen leak was found throughout an engine take a look at within the lead-up to the lift-off. The determination to postpone, it emerges, was controversial as there gave the impression to be variations between the Falcon-9 crew and ISRO on whether or not the leak was severe sufficient to postpone the mission.
Two months after the rocket lifted off on June 25, and which has efficiently returned, Mr. Narayanan disclosed interactions between the Falcon crew and ISRO that recommend that the Falcon crew was not upfront with sharing knowledge from the engine take a look at outcomes, nor may it fulfill the ISRO probing on particulars of the leak.
“I think they assumed that this was a minor leak because it wasn’t their ‘leak’ sensor but an oxygen sensor that had picked up (the leak). We learnt of this from the press (a press conference by SpaceX the previous day) and when we asked them the location of the leak, they said they couldn’t find it. This was shocking to us. Then we asked them for the rate at which oxygen was leaking out; they said this couldn’t be shared as it was “confidential” knowledge. “We asked them nearly 14 questions; only two were answered,” stated Mr. Narayanan.
“ISRO has 40 years of experience with liquid engines, and we know that if there is a block somewhere, it can be rectified, but if the source of a leak is due to a crack, it cannot be allowed. We insisted on a “complete correction” they usually needed to name off the launch on June 10, 5.15 p.m. Following this, the (Space-X) administration directed the Falcon crew to search out the situation of the leak. It turned out to be a crack within the gasoline line. During the exams, it emerged that the crack was widening; we’ve got the information. If the rocket have been to raise off with such a crack, the following vibrations will trigger it to offer means. That will solely lead to a catastrophic scenario… They in all probability took this a bit of evenly,” he added.
The following day (June 12), the leak was repaired and exams have been carried out to ISRO’s satisfaction. Subsequent leaks have been detected within the Russian service module of the ISS, which led to additional launch delays till June 25 when Mr. Shukla and his companions lastly lifted off.
Captain Shukla, in response to queries on the press convention, on whether or not Mr. Narayanan “had saved his life” by insisting on fixing the leak stated, “Everyone who does human space flight missions are very responsible. There were multiple postponements, and this wasn’t the only reason. It helped that we had technical expertise from the ISRO and these discussions happened. Ultimately this is what builds trust. ISRO, NASA and Space X have always been transparent and have had regular briefings on emerging issues.”
