Astronomy:Axiom Space Crew Dragon mission

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Short description: Mission
Axiom Space Crew Dragon mission
A spacecraft approaches a space station
Artists' impression of a Crew Dragon approaching the forward port of Harmony
Mission typeISS space tourism
Operator
Mission duration~Ten days
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft typeCrew Dragon
ManufacturerSpaceX
Start of mission
Launch dateOctober 2021
RocketFalcon 9 Block 5
Launch siteKennedy LC-39A
ContractorSpaceX
End of mission
Landing dateOctober 2021
Landing siteAtlantic Ocean
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric orbit
RegimeLow Earth orbit
Inclination51.6°
Docking with ISS
Time docked~Eight days (Planned)
 

Axiom Space Crew Dragon mission is a planned SpaceX Crew Dragon mission to the International Space Station (ISS), operated by SpaceX on behalf of Axiom Space. The flight will launch in October 2021, and see one professionally trained astronaut hired by Axiom Space and three space tourists fly to the ISS for an approximately eight-day stay.[1][2]

Background

Axiom Space was founded in 2016 with the goal of creating the world's first commercial space station. In early 2020, NASA announced that Axiom had been granted access to the forward port of the ISS' Harmony module, to which Axiom plans to dock the Axiom Orbital Segment; a complex of at least three pressurized modules and a large observation window – similar to the Cupola – that will be able to facilitate the company's activities in Low Earth orbit.[3] Prior to the first module's launch in 2024, Axiom planned to organise and fly crewed missions to the ISS, consisting of either paying space tourists or astronauts from public agencies or private organisations.[4] In March 2020, Axiom announced they would charter a flight to the ISS with SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft in late 2021.[5] This mission will be the first wholly commercially-operated crewed mission to the ISS, and one of the first dedicated orbital space tourism missions, alongside Roscosmos' Soyuz MS-20 mission, also scheduled for late 2021.[6] Following this flight, Axiom plans to offer crewed flights to the ISS as often as twice per year, "[aligning] with the flight opportunities as they are made available by NASA".[7]

Crew

An Axiom Space astronaut and three space tourists are planned to be on the flight.[5] Each of the three seats reserved for tourists will cost US$55 million dollars, and by March 2020, one of these seats has been bought.[8]

Mission

The mission will launch in October 2021,[1] atop a Falcon 9 Block 5 rocket from Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39A, a NASA-owned launch pad leased to SpaceX for Falcon 9 launches. From there the spacecraft will spend two days in transit to the station and dock with Harmony, where they will then spend eight days aboard the ISS.[9] Following their time on the ISS, the spacecraft will undock and return to Earth via splashdown in Atlantic Ocean.

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/03/first-spacex-astronaut-launch-marks-crucial-leap-for-nasa-ambitions.html
  2. ↑ "Axiom to fly Crew Dragon mission to the space station". 5 March 2020. https://spacenews.com/axiom-to-fly-crew-dragon-mission-to-the-space-station/. 
  3. ↑ Space, Axiom (27 January 2020). "Axiom selected by NASA for access to International Space Station port". https://www.axiomspace.com/post/axiom-selected-by-nasa-for-access-to-international-space-station-port. 
  4. ↑ "Axiom Space - National Astronaut Missions". https://www.axiomspace.com/national-astronaut-missions. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Ralph, Eric (9 March 2020). "SpaceX space tourism ambitions made real with Crew Dragon's first private contract". https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-space-tourism-first-crew-dragon-contract/. 
  6. ↑ "Roscosmos signs new contract on flight of two space tourists to ISS". https://tass.com/science/1045321. 
  7. ↑ Space, Axiom (5 March 2020). "Axiom Space plans first-ever fully private human spaceflight mission to International Space Station". https://www.axiomspace.com/post/axiom-space-plans-first-ever-fully-private-human-spaceflight-mission-to-international-space-station. 
  8. ↑ Chang, Kenneth (5 March 2020). "There Are 2 Seats Left for This Trip to the International Space Station". https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/05/science/axiom-space-station.html. 
  9. ↑ "Axiom signs contract with SpaceX to fly Crew Dragon on first fully private ISS mission". https://www.floridatoday.com/story/tech/science/space/2020/03/05/axiom-contract-spacex-fly-crew-dragon-first-private-iss-mission/4955657002/. 




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