The Ax-1 mission to the International Space Station passed the Flight Readiness Review on Friday (March 25th), allowing the launch to take place no earlier than April 3 on a SpaceX Falcon 9. rocket. The mission will be launched from Pad 39A into space. NASA’s Kennedy Center, where SpaceX launches astronaut missions for NASA on a Crew Dragon spacecraft. On board will be former NASA astronaut Michael López-Alegría as commander and the passengers paying Larry Connor (the pilot), Mark Pathy and Eytan Stibbe (both experts on the mission). The passengers each paid $ 55 million for the opportunity. Live updates: The Ax-1 private mission to the space stationPhotos: The first space tourists But NASA’s Artemis 1 moon rocket, stationed on a nearby Launch Pad 39B, will need to complete the so-called “wet dress rehearsal”, a vital power test, before Axiom Space can launch the Ax-1. This power test is scheduled to run from April 1 to April 3, NASA said. “Artemis 1 has the range,” said Kathryn Lunders, co-director of NASA’s space mission, during a news conference Friday. Regarding the Artemis 1 tests, Lueders added, “our plan is to do it as early as possible.” The wet dress rehearsal will see Artemis 1 do a cushion countdown simulation to ensure the mission’s Space Launch System debut rocket is ready for its first voyage, an unmanned flight around the moon. Both Artemis 1 and Axiom 1 are parked next to each other at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Artemis 1 may be able to complete the wet dress rehearsal on the morning of April 3, at Launch Complex 39B. Assuming the rehearsal goes according to plan, the Axiom 1 can be launched over a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at Launch Complex 39A that afternoon at 1:13 p.m. EDT (1713 GMT). But the timetable will be tight and subject to change, NASA said.

The Ax-1 crew performs light gravity training before launch. (Image credit: Axiom Space) Lueders acknowledged that having such a traffic jam is a “good problem”, as it indicates a healthy range of missions. That said, the situation could lead to backups, especially if weather or technical problems arise. The Ax-1 has until April 7 to launch and not affect a NASA space station mission, the Crew-4, to another Space Dragon, NASA said in the same press conference. Crew-4 is scheduled to launch on April 19. The various stays of these vehicles in the area and their returns must also be taken into account. Landing is often difficult in Kennedy, which is against the Atlantic Ocean and subject to the weather, so NASA officials stressed that everyone should be flexible about launch and landing dates in the coming weeks. But assuming everything goes according to plan, the Ax-1 will be attached to the space station on April 5 for an eight-day mission dedicated to science on behalf of many spaceflight-related institutions. Collectively, the crew plans to devote about one tenth of their time (100 hours) to scientific, medical and technological research. One advantage of so many missions, however, is that things in space can return to Earth a little earlier. NASA has partnered with the Ax-1 crew to deliver some science and other things back to Earth, said Dana Weigel, deputy director of NASA’s International Space Station Program. “We are working with Axiom to return two of our freezers that will have critical frozen scientific samples,” Weigel said. “It’s always a valuable asset to us, [and] we tend to have an unfulfilled orbit. They will also help by returning a really big air tank for us. “ The readiness review itself went well, with the crew and equipment being described as ready for the occasion.

Axiom Space makes reservations for space travel in a private habitat on the International Space Station (shown here by an artist). But it’s not cheap: the trip costs $ 55 million. (Image credit: Axiom Space) “Human spaceflight is incredibly humble and challenging, and we should always listen to our material and not focus on schedule,” said William Gerstenmaier, SpaceX’s vice president of construction and flight reliability, who previously had a senior role at NASA in human spaceflight. “We need to listen to the data, learn lessons from the real world and make sure we are ready to fly safely,” Gerstenmaier added. “I think today’s review has shown that this team is ready to do it and we are ready for this exciting time.”

A step towards private space stations

Artist illustration The scheduled sections of Axiom Space will be added to the International Space Station. (Image credit: Axiom Space) The Ax-1 will be a testing ground for Axiom, which aims to operate its own commercial space station. The Houston-based company wants to launch a private unit on the International Space Station in 2024 to start building on that goal. Axiom hopes to rapidly develop its company’s flight experience. NASA has already unveiled the Ax-2, which is currently scheduled to be launched by Kennedy by 2023. Former NASA astronaut Peggy Witson is to lead the proposed flight. The Ax-2, Ax-3 and Ax-4 all have a contract to fly with SpaceX.
The Ax-2 will be a short flight like the Ax-1, but future missions could take up to 30 days at a time once the Axiom Space unit is at the station, the company said. “It simply came to our notice then [Ax-1] “It’s really the first of a series of pre-flight missions before our space station orbits,” said Michael Suffredini, president and CEO of Axiom and former program director of NASA’s International Space Station from 2005 to 2015. “The first unit will be launched in the second half of 2024, so it really paves the way for a new era where there are more and more opportunities for individuals and nations around the world to live and work in the microgravity environment. he added. Follow Elizabeth Howell on Twitter @howellspace. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom or on Facebook.