Astronomy:Axiom Mission 3

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Short description: 2024 private crewed spaceflight to the ISS
Axiom Mission 3
Axiom-3 Launch (KSC-20240118-PH-CMS01 0033).jpg
Launch of Ax-3 on a Falcon 9 rocket.
NamesAx-3
Mission typePrivate spaceflight to the ISS
OperatorAxiom Space
COSPAR ID2024-014A
Mission duration129 days, 10 hours and 21 minutes (in progress)
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft typeCrew Dragon Freedom
ManufacturerSpaceX
Launch mass12,519 kg (27,600 lb)
Landing mass9,616 kg (21,200 lb)
Crew
Crew size4
Members
  • Michael López-Alegría
  • Walter Villadei
  • Alper Gezeravcı
  • Marcus Wandt
Start of mission
Launch date18 January 2024 21:49 UTC[1]
RocketFalcon 9 Block 5 (B1080.5)
Launch siteKennedy Space Center, LC-39A
ContractorSpaceX
End of mission
Landing date2 February 2024, ??:?? UTC (planned)
Landing siteAtlantic Ocean
Docking with ISS
Docking portHarmony forward
Docking date20 January 2024, 10:42 UTC[2]
Undocking date2 February 2024, 12:00 UTC (planned)
Time docked127 days, 21 hours and 28 minutes (in progress)
Axiom 3 mission insignia Axiom Mission 3 crew.jpg
(L-R) López-Alegría, Villadei, Gezeravcı, Wandt in black jumpsuits
← Axiom Mission 2
Axiom Mission 4 →
 

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]

Prime crew
Position Astronaut
Spacecraft commander United States / Spain Michael López-Alegría, Axiom Space
Sixth spaceflight
Pilot Italy Walter Villadei, Italian Air Force
Second spaceflight
Mission Specialist 1 Turkey Alper Gezeravcı, TSA
First spaceflight
Mission Specialist 2 Sweden Marcus Wandt, SNSA / ESA
First spaceflight

Backup crew

Position Astronaut
Spacecraft commander United States Peggy Whitson, Axiom Space
Mission Specialist Turkey Tuva Cihangir Atasever, TSA

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. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Falcon 9 Block 5 - Axiom Mission 3 (AX-3)". Next Spaceflight. 9 December 2023. https://nextspaceflight.com/launches/details/6790. 
  2. ↑ "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/. 
  3. ↑ "NASA Selects Axiom Space for Third Private Astronaut Station Mission". NASA (Press release). 14 March 2023. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
  4. ↑ "Axiom and SpaceX sign blockbuster deal" (in en-US). https://www.axiomspace.com/press-release/axiom-spacex-deal. 
  5. ↑ 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/. 
  6. ↑ Space, Air Force and Axiom agreements on the Ax-3 mission
  7. ↑ 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/. 
  8. ↑ 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. 
  9. ↑ "Axiom Space Announces Astronauts for Third Mission to ISS" (in en-US). 2023-09-12. https://www.axiomspace.com/news/ax3-astronaut-crew. 
  10. ↑ "Muninn mission patch and name" (in en). 16 June 2023. https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2023/06/Muninn_mission_patch_and_name. .
  11. ↑ "Muninn Launch kit" (in en). November 2023. https://esamultimedia.esa.int/docs/HRE/Muninn_launchkit.pdf. .
  12. ↑ "The Huginn mission – an overview" (in en). https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Human_and_Robotic_Exploration/The_Huginn_mission_an_overview. 
  13. ↑ Axiom Space refines training for next private astronaut mission, 18 October 2023.



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