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Axiom Mission 3

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"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
Operator
COSPAR ID2024-014A Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.58815Edit this on Wikidata
Websitewww.axiomspace.com/missions/ax3 Edit this at Wikidata
Mission duration21 days, 15 hours, 41 minutes
Spacecraft properties
SpacecraftCrew Dragon Freedom
Spacecraft typeCrew Dragon
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, 21:49:11 (2024-01-18UTC21:49:11Z) UTC (5:49:11 pm EST)[1]
RocketFalcon 9 Block 5 (B1080.5), Flight 291
Launch siteKennedy, LC‑39A
ContractorSpaceX
End of mission
Recovered byMV Shannon
Landing date9 February 2024, 13:30 (2024-02-09UTC13:31Z) UTC (8:30 am EST)
Landing siteAtlantic Ocean, near Daytona Beach, Florida (29°48′N 80°42′W / 29.8°N 80.7°W / 29.8; -80.7)
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric orbit
RegimeLow Earth orbit
Inclination51.66°
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, 38 minutes

Left: Axiom mission patch
Right: Wandt's Muninn mission patch

From left: López-Alegría, Wandt, Gezeravcı and Villadei, in black jumpsuits

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]

Muninn

[edit]

The Swedish component of Ax-3 would be the Muninn mission with Marcus Wandt as the first ESA astronaut launched by a private space provider.[6] Wandt was also the first member of the 2022 European Space Agency Astronaut Group to receive a spaceflight mission.[7] The mission's name comes from one of Odin's two ravens that together combined symbolize the human mind with Danish astronaut Andreas Mogensen being launched as part of the Huninn mission on SpaceX Crew 7.[8] This was the first time that two Scandinavians were in space at the same time.[6] Wandt conducted 20 experiments and participated in five educational programs from understanding the effects of space habitat designs on astronaut stress levels to exploring cellular structure changes and gene expression in microgravity.[6] The mission's patch shows Muninn gliding around Earth to share the knowledge collected by Wandt.[8] The dark blue circle represents Earth and includes lighter lines depicting Sweden.[8]

Crew

[edit]

All four crewmembers have backgrounds as military pilots.[9] Michael López-Alegría was the commander as an employee of Axiom; Walter Villadei from the Italian Air Force was the mission pilot.[10] The mission specialists were Alper Gezeravcı who was the first astronaut from Turkey;[11][12] and Swedish project astronaut Marcus Wandt.[7]

Prime crew
Position Astronaut
Commander United States / Spain Michael López-Alegría, Axiom Space
Sixth spaceflight
Pilot Italy Walter Villadei, AM
Second spaceflight
Mission Specialist 1 Turkey Alper Gezeravcı, TUA
Only spaceflight
Mission Specialist 2 Sweden Marcus Wandt, SNSA / ESA
Only spaceflight
Backup crew
Position Astronaut
Commander United States Peggy Whitson, Axiom Space
Mission Specialist Turkey Tuva Cihangir Atasever, TUA

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] Final mission duration was 21 days; mission ended with a splashdown into the Atlantic Ocean on 9 February 2024.

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


References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "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. Archived from the original on September 4, 2021. Retrieved September 26, 2022.
  5. ^ Jones, Caleb. "Space Launch Now - B1080". Space Launch Now. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
  6. ^ a b c "SPACE TRAVEL ESA's Marcus Wandtembarks on historic Muninn Mission aboard ISS". spacedaily. Retrieved March 20, 2025.
  7. ^ a b "Axiom Space Announces Astronauts for Third Mission to ISS". Axiom Space. September 12, 2023. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
  8. ^ a b c Pearlman, Robert. "Marcus Wandt's 'Muninn' ESA patch". Collect Space. Retrieved March 20, 2025.
  9. ^ Foust, Jeff (October 18, 2023). "Axiom Space refines training for next private astronaut mission". SpaceNews. Retrieved October 19, 2023.
  10. ^ Space, Air Force and Axiom agreements on the Ax-3 mission
  11. ^ Roulette, Joey (September 21, 2022). "Exclusive: Saudi Arabia buys pair of SpaceX astronaut seats from Axiom -sources". Reuters. Retrieved September 26, 2022.
  12. ^ 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.
  13. ^ Axiom Space refines training for next private astronaut mission, 18 October 2023.
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