Axiom Mission 3

Axiom Mission 3 (or Ax-3) was a private spaceflight to the International Space Station. The flight launched on 18 January 2024,[1] and lasted for 21 days, successfully splashing down in the Atlantic Ocean.[3] It was operated by Axiom Space and used a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft.[4] The booster, B1080, had previously flown Axiom-2, among other high-profile missions.[5]

"Ax-3" redirects here. For other topics, see AX3.
Axiom Mission 3
Launch of Ax-3 on a Falcon 9 rocket.
NamesAx-3
Mission typePrivate spaceflight to the ISS
OperatorAxiom Space
COSPAR ID2024-014A
SATCAT no.58815
Mission duration21 days, 15 hours and 41 minutes
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft typeDragon Freedom
ManufacturerSpaceX
Launch mass12,519 kg (27,600 lb)
Landing mass9,616 kg (21,200 lb)
Crew
Crew size4
Members
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
Recovered byMV Shannon
Landing date9 February 2024, 13:30 UTC
Landing siteAtlantic Ocean
Docking with ISS
Docking portHarmony forward
Docking date20 January 2024, 10:42 UTC[2]
Undocking date7 February 2024, 14:20 UTC
Time docked18 days, 3 hours and 38 minutes

(L-R) López-Alegría, Wandt, Gezeravcı, Villadei, in black jumpsuits
 

Crew

All four crewmembers have backgrounds as military pilots.[6] Michael López-Alegría was the commander as an employee of Axiom; Walter Villadei from the Italian Air Force was the mission pilot.[7] The mission specialists were Alper Gezeravcı who was the first astronaut from Turkey;[8][9] and Swedish project astronaut Marcus Wandt ("project astronaut" is ESA's designation for an astronaut assigned to a project), who was the first member of the 2022 European Space Agency Astronaut Group to receive a spaceflight mission. It was also the first commercial spaceflight mission for an ESA sponsored astronaut.[10] Wandt's component of the mission is called "Muninn"[11][12] as it overlaps with fellow Scandinavian ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen's mission – "Huginn".[13]

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
Position Astronaut
Spacecraft commander Peggy Whitson, Axiom Space
Mission Specialist 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.[14] Final mission duration was 21 days; mission ended with a splashdown into the Atlantic Ocean on 9 February 2024.

Axiom Mission 3
  • Launch of Axiom-3
  • Axiom-3 approaching the ISS
  • Axiom-3 docked to the ISS


References
  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.
  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. Jones, Caleb. "Space Launch Now - B1080". Space Launch Now. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
  6. Foust, Jeff (October 18, 2023). "Axiom Space refines training for next private astronaut mission". SpaceNews. Retrieved October 19, 2023.
  7. Space, Air Force and Axiom agreements on the Ax-3 mission
  8. Roulette, Joey (September 21, 2022). "Exclusive: Saudi Arabia buys pair of SpaceX astronaut seats from Axiom -sources". Reuters. Retrieved September 26, 2022.
  9. 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.
  10. "Axiom Space Announces Astronauts for Third Mission to ISS". Axiom Space. September 12, 2023. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
  11. "Muninn mission patch and name". European Space Agency. June 16, 2023. Retrieved June 16, 2023..
  12. "Muninn Launch kit" (PDF). European Space Agency. November 2023. Retrieved January 8, 2024..
  13. "The Huginn mission – an overview". www.esa.int. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
  14. Axiom Space refines training for next private astronaut mission, 18 October 2023.
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