The Ax 1 mission to the International Space Station went through a flight readiness test on Friday (March 25), allowing the launch to proceed no later than April 3 with a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The mission will take off from Pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center. of NASA, where SpaceX missions were launched by NASA astronauts on the Crew Dragon spacecraft. On board will be former NASA astronaut Michael Lopez Allegria As captain, he paid passengers Larry Connor (pilot), Mark Bathy and Eitan Stipe (both experts on the mission). Each of the passengers paid $ 55 million for the opportunity. Live updates: Ax-1 special mission to the Space StationImages: The first space tourists But NASA’s Artemis 1 lunar rocket, stationed on the nearby 39B launch pad, will need to complete a so-called “liquid rehearsal”, a biofuel test, before Axiom Space can launch the Ax-1. NASA said the supply test is scheduled to run from April 1 to April 3. “Artemis 1 has the scope,” said Kathryn Lunders, associate director of NASA’s Space Operations Division, during a teleconference on Friday. Regarding the Artemis 1 test, Lueders added, “Our plan is to do this as soon as possible.” The wet dress rehearsal will see Artemis 1 simulate a dashboard countdown to ensure the mission makes its space launch debut. The rocket is ready for its first flight, an unmanned flight around the moon. Artemis 1 and Axiom 1 are located near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Artemis 1 may be able to complete a wet rehearsal on the morning of April 3rd at Launch Complex 39B. Assuming the rehearsal went as planned, the Axiom 1 could be launched over a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at Launch Complex 39A that afternoon at 1:13 p.m. EDT (1713 GMT). NASA has confirmed that the program will be tight and subject to change. The Ax-1 crew conducts microgravity training prior to launch. (Image credit: Axiom Space) Lueders acknowledged that such traffic jams were a “good problem”, as it showed a healthy set of tasks. However, the situation can lead to backups, especially if weather or technical problems occur. In the same press conference, NASA said that the Ax-1 has until April 7 to launch and not affect the mission of NASA’s Crew-4 space station to another Space Dragon. Crew-4 is scheduled to launch on April 19. There is also a need to take into account the number of different stays in space for these vehicles and their returns. Landing is often difficult in Kennedy, which is across the Atlantic and subject to the weather, so NASA officials stressed that everyone should be flexible with launch and landing dates in the coming weeks. But assuming everything goes as planned, the Ax-1 will be attached to the space station on April 5 for an eight-day mission dedicated to science by many astronaut-affiliated institutions. Collectively, the crew plans to devote almost one tenth of their time (100 hours) to scientific, medical and technical research. However, one advantage of many missions is that space objects can return to Earth much earlier. Dana Weigel, deputy program director for NASA’s International Space Station, noted that NASA has partnered with the Ax-1 crew to bring some science and other things to Earth. “We are working with Axiom to restore two of our freezers that contain significant frozen scientific samples,” Weigel said. “It’s always a valuable asset to us, [and] We tend to have accumulation in orbit. They will also help us by returning us a really big air tank “. The readiness review itself went well, with the crew and instruments described as ready for the occasion.

Axiom Space is booking tourist space flights to a private residence on the International Space Station (shown here from an artist’s point of view). But it’s not cheap: the trip cost $ 55 million. (Image credit: Axiom Space) “Human spaceflight is incredibly mediocre and challenging, and we should always listen to our material and not focus on the schedule,” said William Gerstenmaier, SpaceX’s Vice President of Construction and Flight Reliability, who previously held NASA a senior position 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 showed that this team is ready to do it and we are ready for this exciting period.”

A step towards private space stations

Artist Illustration The planned Axiom Space modules 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 commercial space station. The Houston-based company wants to launch a special unit on the International Space Station in 2024 to start building on that goal. Axiom hopes to quickly build up its airline flight experience. NASA already has the Ax 2 lit green which is currently scheduled to be launched by Kennedy by 2023. Former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson is about to make a Command Suggested flight. The Ax-2, Ax-3 and Ax-4 have agreed to fly with SpaceX.
The company said the Ax-2 would be a short flight like the Ax-1, but that future missions could take up to 30 days at a time when the Axiom Space unit is at the station. “It’s for us [Ax-1] Michael Suffredini, President and CEO of Axiom and former Director of the International Space Station Program for NASA from 2005 to 2015, said: “The first unit will be launched in the second half of 2024, so this really sets the stage for a new era where there are more and more opportunities for people and nations around the world to live and work in a microgravity environment,” he said. was added. Follow Elizabeth Howell on Twitter Embed tweet. Follow us on Twitter Tweet embed or on Facebook.