Astronomy:Axiom Mission 3
![]() Launch of Ax-3 on a Falcon 9 rocket. | |
Names | Ax-3 |
---|---|
Mission type | Private spaceflight to the ISS |
Operator | Axiom Space |
COSPAR ID | 2024-014A |
Mission duration | 219 days, 22 hours and 29 minutes (in progress) |
Spacecraft properties | |
Spacecraft type | Crew Dragon Freedom |
Manufacturer | SpaceX |
Launch mass | 12,519 kg (27,600 lb) |
Landing mass | 9,616 kg (21,200 lb) |
Crew | |
Crew size | 4 |
Members |
|
Start of mission | |
Launch date | 18 January 2024 21:49 UTC[1] |
Rocket | Falcon 9 Block 5 (B1080.5) |
Launch site | Kennedy Space Center, LC-39A |
Contractor | SpaceX |
End of mission | |
Landing date | 2 February 2024, ??:?? UTC (planned) |
Landing site | Atlantic Ocean |
Docking with ISS | |
Docking port | Harmony forward |
Docking date | 20 January 2024, 10:42 UTC[2] |
Undocking date | 2 February 2024, 12:00 UTC (planned) |
Time docked | 218 days, 9 hours and 36 minutes (in progress) |
![]() ![]() (L-R) López-Alegría, Villadei, Gezeravcı, Wandt in black jumpsuits |
Axiom Mission 3 (or Ax-3) is a private spaceflight to the International Space Station. The flight launched on 18 January 2024[1] and is currently expected to last about 14 days.[3] It is operated by Axiom Space and uses a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft.[4]
Crew
All four crewmembers have backgrounds as military pilots.[5] Michael López-Alegría is the commander as an employee of Axiom; Walter Villadei from the Italian Air Force is the mission pilot.[6] The mission specialists are Alper Gezeravcı who is the first astronaut from Turkey;[7][8] and Swedish Project Marcus Wandt, who is the first member of the 2022 European Space Agency Astronaut Group to receive a spaceflight mission. It is also "the first commercial spaceflight mission for an ESA-sponsored astronaut".[9] Wandt's component of the mission is called "Muninn"[10][11] as it overlaps with fellow-Scandinavian ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen's mission – "Huginn".[12]
Position | Astronaut | |
---|---|---|
Spacecraft commander | ![]() ![]() Sixth spaceflight | |
Pilot | ![]() Second spaceflight | |
Mission Specialist 1 | ![]() First spaceflight | |
Mission Specialist 2 | ![]() First spaceflight |
Backup crew
Position | Astronaut | |
---|---|---|
Spacecraft commander | ![]() | |
Mission Specialist | ![]() |
Mission
The crew lifted off on a Falcon 9 from LC-39A Florida to dock with the International Space Station for an intended mission duration of approximately two weeks.[13]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Falcon 9 Block 5 - Axiom Mission 3 (AX-3)". Next Spaceflight. 9 December 2023. https://nextspaceflight.com/launches/details/6790.
- ↑ "Ax-3 Docks to Station Aboard Dragon Spacecraft - Space Station". NASA. 20 January 2024. https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2024/01/20/ax-3-docks-to-station-aboard-dragon-spacecraft/.
- ↑ "NASA Selects Axiom Space for Third Private Astronaut Station Mission". NASA (Press release). 14 March 2023. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
- ↑ "Axiom and SpaceX sign blockbuster deal" (in en-US). https://www.axiomspace.com/press-release/axiom-spacex-deal.
- ↑ Foust, Jeff (2023-10-18). "Axiom Space refines training for next private astronaut mission" (in en-US). https://spacenews.com/axiom-space-refines-training-for-next-private-astronaut-mission/.
- ↑ Space, Air Force and Axiom agreements on the Ax-3 mission
- ↑ Roulette, Joey (2022-09-21). "Exclusive: Saudi Arabia buys pair of SpaceX astronaut seats from Axiom -sources" (in en). Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/exclusive-saudi-arabia-buys-pair-spacex-astronaut-seats-axiom-sources-2022-09-20/.
- ↑ Pons, Juan (2022-09-28). "Saudi Arabia and Turkey compete to get a woman astronaut into orbit as soon as possible". https://atalayar.com/en/content/saudi-arabia-and-turkey-compete-get-woman-astronaut-orbit-soon-possible. Retrieved 2022-10-16.
- ↑ "Axiom Space Announces Astronauts for Third Mission to ISS" (in en-US). 2023-09-12. https://www.axiomspace.com/news/ax3-astronaut-crew.
- ↑ "Muninn mission patch and name" (in en). 16 June 2023. https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2023/06/Muninn_mission_patch_and_name..
- ↑ "Muninn Launch kit" (in en). November 2023. https://esamultimedia.esa.int/docs/HRE/Muninn_launchkit.pdf..
- ↑ "The Huginn mission – an overview" (in en). https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Human_and_Robotic_Exploration/The_Huginn_mission_an_overview.
- ↑ Axiom Space refines training for next private astronaut mission, 18 October 2023.
![]() | Original source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axiom Mission 3.
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