Axiom Mission 3

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
SATCAT no.	58815
Mission duration	14 days, 23 hours and 19 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	Michael López-Alegría; Walter Villadei; Alper Gezeravcı; Marcus Wandt;
Start of mission
Launch date	18 January 2024 21:49 UTC
Rocket	Falcon 9 Block 5 (B1080.5)
Launch site	Kennedy Space Center, LC-39A
Contractor	SpaceX
End of mission
Landing date	4 February 2024, ??:?? UTC (planned)
Landing site	Atlantic Ocean
Docking with ISS
Docking port	Harmony forward
Docking date	20 January 2024, 10:42 UTC
Undocking date	3 Feburary, 2024 11:05 UTC (planned)
Time docked	13 days, 10 hours and 26 minutes (in progress)
	; (L-R) López-Alegría, Villadei, Gezeravcı, Wandt in black jumpsuits Axiom Space missions ← Axiom Mission 2 Axiom Mission 4 → Crew Dragon flights ← SpaceX Crew-7 SpaceX Crew-8 →

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[edit]

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	/ Michael López-Alegría, Axiom Space Sixth spaceflight
Pilot	Walter Villadei, AM Second spaceflight
Mission Specialist 1	Alper Gezeravcı, TSA First spaceflight
Mission Specialist 2	Marcus Wandt, SNSA / ESA First spaceflight

Backup crew[edit]


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

Mission[edit]

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[edit]

^ ^a ^b "Falcon 9 Block 5 - Axiom Mission 3 (AX-3)". Next Spaceflight. December 9, 2023. Retrieved December 11, 2023.
^ "Ax-3 Docks to Station Aboard Dragon Spacecraft - Space Station". NASA. January 20, 2024. Retrieved January 20, 2024.
^ "NASA Selects Axiom Space for Third Private Astronaut Station Mission". NASA (Press release). March 14, 2023. Retrieved March 14, 2023.
^ "Axiom and SpaceX sign blockbuster deal". Axiom Space. Retrieved September 26, 2022.
^ Foust, Jeff (October 18, 2023). "Axiom Space refines training for next private astronaut mission". SpaceNews. Retrieved October 19, 2023.
^ Space, Air Force and Axiom agreements on the Ax-3 mission
^ Roulette, Joey (September 21, 2022). "Exclusive: Saudi Arabia buys pair of SpaceX astronaut seats from Axiom -sources". Reuters. Retrieved September 26, 2022.
^ Pons, Juan (September 28, 2022). "Saudi Arabia and Turkey compete to get a woman astronaut into orbit as soon as possible". Retrieved October 16, 2022.
^ "Axiom Space Announces Astronauts for Third Mission to ISS". Axiom Space. September 12, 2023. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
^ "Muninn mission patch and name". European Space Agency. June 16, 2023. Retrieved June 16, 2023..
^ "Muninn Launch kit" (PDF). European Space Agency. November 2023. Retrieved January 8, 2024..
^ "The Huginn mission – an overview". www.esa.int. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
^ Axiom Space refines training for next private astronaut mission, 18 October 2023.

[nxsf-ax3-1] "Falcon 9 Block 5 - Axiom Mission 3 (AX-3)". Next Spaceflight. December 9, 2023. Retrieved December 11, 2023.

[2] "Ax-3 Docks to Station Aboard Dragon Spacecraft - Space Station". NASA. January 20, 2024. Retrieved January 20, 2024.

[nasa-20230314-3] "NASA Selects Axiom Space for Third Private Astronaut Station Mission". NASA (Press release). March 14, 2023. Retrieved March 14, 2023.

[4] "Axiom and SpaceX sign blockbuster deal". Axiom Space. Retrieved September 26, 2022.

[5] Foust, Jeff (October 18, 2023). "Axiom Space refines training for next private astronaut mission". SpaceNews. Retrieved October 19, 2023.

[6] Space, Air Force and Axiom agreements on the Ax-3 mission

[7] Roulette, Joey (September 21, 2022). "Exclusive: Saudi Arabia buys pair of SpaceX astronaut seats from Axiom -sources". Reuters. Retrieved September 26, 2022.

[8] Pons, Juan (September 28, 2022). "Saudi Arabia and Turkey compete to get a woman astronaut into orbit as soon as possible". Retrieved October 16, 2022.

[Axiom3-9] "Axiom Space Announces Astronauts for Third Mission to ISS". Axiom Space. September 12, 2023. Retrieved September 12, 2023.

[10] "Muninn mission patch and name". European Space Agency. June 16, 2023. Retrieved June 16, 2023..

[11] "Muninn Launch kit" (PDF). European Space Agency. November 2023. Retrieved January 8, 2024..

[12] "The Huginn mission – an overview". www.esa.int. Retrieved September 12, 2023.

[13] Axiom Space refines training for next private astronaut mission, 18 October 2023.

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