Axiom-4 astronauts prepare to launch for space station on SpaceX Dragon: What to know
Axiom Space, a company headquartered in Houston, Texas, is set to send four spacefarers up to the International Space Station on a private two-week research mission.
- The mission, which was recently delayed for the second time, is due to get off the ground once again from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida.
- The crew will be under the command of Peggy Whitson, a record-holding NASA astronaut who has recently made a second career in the private spaceflight sector.
- The private astronauts will plan to perform about 60 scientific experiments during their time in orbit.
The next group of international astronauts are preparing to head up into outer space.
Axiom Space, a company headquartered in Houston, Texas, is set to send four spacefarers up to the International Space Station on a private two-week research mission. The Axiom Mission 4, also known as Ax-4, is the latest in a series of human spaceflights in partnership with both NASA and SpaceX.
The mission, which was recently delayed for the second time, is due to get off the ground once again from NASA's Kennedy Space Center near Cape Canaveral, Florida. This time around, a crew will be under the command of Peggy Whitson, a record-holding NASA astronaut who has recently made a second career in the private spaceflight sector.
Here's everything to know about Axiom Space's fourth crewed mission to the International Space Station:
What is the Axiom 4 mission?
Whitson and her crew are due to undertake about 60 scientific experiments during their time aboard the International Space Station. The research was developed specifically to take place in microgravity on behalf of organizations around the world, according to Axiom Space.
The Axiom missions are also aimed at advancing the company's goals of building a space station that will attach to the ISS before its planned 2030 retirement. The Axiom missions began in 2022, with the most recent, Axiom Mission 3, taking place in January 2024.
What also makes Ax-4 notable is that it is the first time in more than 40 years that India, Poland and Hungary have had a crew member from their respective nations on a government-sponsored spaceflight. The upcoming spaceflight is also each nation's first-ever mission to the space station.
What is the International Space Station?
For 25 years, the International Space Station has been stationed in low-Earth orbit, typically about 250 miles high, where it has been home to astronauts from all over the world.
The orbital laboratory is operated through a global partnership of space agencies, including NASA, Roscosmos, the European Space Agency, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA).
More than 280 spacefarers from 23 countries have visited the International Space Station, including 169 from the United States alone, according to NASA. Bigger than a six-bedroom house, the outpost has six sleeping quarters, two bathrooms, a gym and a 360-degree view bay window.
As of now, seven members of Expedition 73, including three Americans, are living aboard the ISS – conducting scientific research and working to maintain the station.
When will Axiom 4 launch from Florida?
The Ax-4 crew are due to ride a brand-new SpaceX Dragon spacecraft to orbit, which will get off the ground with the assistance of the company's two-stage Falcon 9 rocket.
The launch could happen as early as 8:22 a.m. ET Tuesday, June 10, from NASA's historic Launch Complex 39A – the site of the agency's Apollo moon mission launches.
The launch window was delayed Tuesday, June 3, for the second time in a shift that NASA says will allow mission operators to avoid inclement weather and have more time to prepare the Dragon for launch. Axiom Space had originally been working toward a May 29 launch before takeoff was pushed to June 8 as part of adjustments to the space station's schedule.
Once the Dragon separates from the Falcon 9 following liftoff, the capsule will continue its independent journey to the orbital outpost, where it is expected to dock by 12:30 p.m. ET Wednesday, June 11, according to NASA.
Who is the crew of Axiom 4?
Here's a look at the four international astronauts crewing Ax-4:
- Commander Peggy Whitson, a former NASA astronaut and director of human spaceflight at Axiom Space who previously commanded Ax-2
- Pilot Shubhanshu Shukla, an astronaut with the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO)
- Mission specialist Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski, a scientist and engineer from Poland who is part of the European Space Agency's reserve astronaut class
- Mission specialist Tibor Kapu, a mechanical engineer from Hungary
How long will the Ax-4 crew be in space?
The Ax-4 crew members and their Dragon spacecraft are expected to be docked at the space station for up to 14 days.
Though their exact return date remains unclear, they would eventually depart the station on the Dragon for a water landing off the coast of California, where SpaceX has recently moved its recovery operations.
Contributing: Brooke Edwards, FLORIDA TODAY
Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the Paste BN Network. Reach him at elagatta@gannett.com