NASA Sets Date For SpaceX To Launch Axiom’s First Private Astronaut Mission To The Space Station

Axiom Space signed a deal with SpaceX to launch four crewed missions to space. The first mission is identified as ‘Ax-1’ (Axiom-1), it will be the first fully-commercial (private) crew in history that will visit the International Space Station (ISS). A crew of three civilians along a former NASA astronaut will launch atop SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket aboard a Crew Dragon spacecraft next year from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The Ax-1 crewmembers are: former NASA astronaut Michael López-Alegría, who will serve as Ax-1 mission commander; Entrepreneur Larry Connor, Investor/philanthropist Mark Pathy, alongside Eytan Stibbe, who is a former Israeli Air Force pilot. They will ride SpaceX’s Crew Dragon to the Space Station where they will stay for around eight days to enjoy views of Earth from orbit and also conduct science research.

NASA's human spaceflight program Associate Administrator of the Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate Kathy Lueders announced on September 25 that the agency already selected a date to launch Ax-1. “Great news! We are targeting February 21 [2022] for the launch of the Axiom 1 mission to the Space Station – the first private astronaut mission to the microgravity laboratory with Axiom Space. Our work continues to open space to more people than ever,” said Lueders.

“The crew is deep into ISS training, extensive research is in planning, and we all can't wait. We're excited to partner with NASA on this historic undertaking and for the groundwork the crew of Ax-1 will lay for the future,” Axiom representatives shared via social media.

The crew is deep into ISS training, extensive research is in planning, and we all can't wait. We're excited to partner with @NASA on this historic undertaking and for the groundwork the crew of Ax-1 will lay for the future. https://t.co/bK8WVxZm0s

— Axiom Space (@Axiom_Space) September 24, 2021

The Ax-1 crew is receiving commercial astronaut training from NASA and SpaceX. “These private astronauts will receive a standard official review by NASA and its international partners and undergo NASA medical qualification testing before being approved for flight. López-Alegría will serve as Axiom's mission commander with Peggy Whitson as his backup,” the agency said in a press release. SpaceX is providing training on Crew Dragon simulators, to learn how the Falcon 9 rocket and spacecraft operate. Even though SpaceX designed Crew Dragon to operate with full autonomy, the crew must learn how to pilot the vehicle manually in case it is needed. SpaceX is also ensuring the Ax-1 crew is ready for any emergency scenario from liftoff to orbit. They are undergoing “emergency preparedness training, spacesuit and spacecraft ingress and egress exercises, as well as partial and full simulations,” SpaceX representatives stated. “The growing partnership between Axiom and SpaceX will enable more opportunities for more humans in space on the road to making humanity multiplanetary.” 

Training continues as @CommanderMLA and Larry Connor – commander and pilot of Axiom Mission 1, the first ever private crew to visit the International Space Station – become familiar with their ride. pic.twitter.com/S7H6Mk0Vkn

— Axiom Space (@Axiom_Space) June 22, 2021

Ax-1 Commander López-Alegría flew to space four times over his 20-year career at NASA, his last voyage to the ISS was in 2007. He will become the first person to ever command both a civilian and a commercial human spaceflight mission. “This collection of pioneers – the first space crew of its kind – represents a defining moment in humanity’s eternal pursuit of exploration and progress,” López-Alegría said. “I know from firsthand experience that what humans encounter in space is profound and propels them to make more meaningful contributions on returning to Earth. And as much as any astronaut who has come before them, the members of this crew have accomplished the sorts of things in life that equip them to accept that responsibility, act on that revelation, and make a truly global impact,” he stated in a press release. “I look forward to leading this crew and to their next meaningful and productive contributions to the human story, both on orbit and back home.”

Having already lived on the International @Space_Station as a NASA astronaut, I'm looking forward to experiencing the #ISS as a private astronaut. I expect the schedule to be equally rigorous, as on #Ax1 we’ll be participating in research and STEM education. pic.twitter.com/dtRBs3YwLc

— Michael L-A (@CommanderMLA) September 17, 2021

Featured Image Source: NASA