A commercial astronaut mission is scheduled to lift off to the International Space Station on Thursday. But unlike previous flights of this kind, the passengers will not be wealthy space travelers who pay their own way to orbit.
Instead, Italy, Sweden and Turkey are taking advantage of new commercial possibilities to send astronauts from their government space programs to orbital outposts. He will be Turkey’s first astronaut.
The commercial astronaut mission is the third for Houston-based Axiom Space, which sends paying customers to the International Space Station for two weeks. In 2019, NASA reversed its previous policy and opened parts of the space station to visitors. (Russia has hosted a series of space tourists on the International Space Station since 2001.)
Here’s what you need to know about Thursday’s launch.
When will it be released? How can I watch it?
The launch will take place on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and is scheduled for Thursday at 4:49 pm ET from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The launch was scheduled for Wednesday, but SpaceX decided to postpone the launch by one day. “The additional time will allow the team to complete pre-launch checkout and data analysis of the vehicle,” the company said.
Forecasts give an 80% chance that the launch pad will be in good condition. If the launch is delayed, you will have a backup opportunity on Friday.
About two hours before liftoff, the four astronauts suited up and took their seats in the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, preparing to be sealed inside.
axiom and space x has begun streaming coverage of the announcement, which can be viewed in the video player embedded above. NASA TV I will participate in the interview at 3:45 p.m.
Who is on this flight?
The crew includes Turkish Air Force fighter pilot Alper Gezeravci. Walter Villaday, Italian Air Force Colonel. Marcus Vandt is a former Swedish Air Force fighter and test pilot. Both governments have paid tens of millions of dollars for each astronaut’s trip.
Gezeravci will become Turkey’s first astronaut and hopes to inspire future generations. “This spaceflight is not the destination of our journey,” he said at a press conference last week. “This is just the beginning of our journey.”
The mission’s pilot, the Italian Viladay, has already been in space, but only for a few minutes. He was one of three Italian Air Force members aboard the Virgin Galactic suborbital flight last June, conducting several biomedical, fluid mechanics and materials science experiments.
Want applied to become a European Space Agency astronaut in 2022, but was not one of the five selected to become full-time career astronauts. However, he was selected as one of the “reserve” astronauts who can participate in future missions while remaining in his current job.
When Axiom approached the Swedish authorities about available seats on this private astronaut mission, they agreed to purchase tickets. ESA awarded Want a one-year contract as a project astronaut and provided training for the mission.
The mission will be led by Michael López-Alegría, a former NASA astronaut and current chief astronaut at Axiom. NASA requires former NASA astronauts to lead commercial astronaut missions. López-Alegría participated in his three Space Shuttle missions, from September 2006 to April 2007, where he also spent seven months on the International Space Station. He also led the first Axiom commercial astronaut mission in 2004.
When will they arrive at the space station?
If the mission launches on Thursday, it is scheduled to arrive at the International Space Station at 5:15 a.m. ET on Saturday.
Do other countries also fly astronauts on commercial aircraft?
Saudi Arabia flew two astronauts to the International Space Station on its last Axiom flight last year. They conducted various scientific experiments during their mission.
Similar to Sweden’s deal with Vandt, Poland is also preparing one of ESA’s reserve astronauts, astronaut Slawosz Uznanski, for a future Axiom flight. The UK Space Agency has also signed an agreement with Axiom to send British astronauts into orbit.
In 2019, the United Arab Emirates purchased a ticket on a Russian Soyuz rocket for an eight-day stay at the International Space Station for one of its astronauts, Hazza Al Mansoori. Axiom Space has arranged for the second Emirati astronaut, Sultan Al-Neyadi, to spend six months on the space station in 2023.