The First Axiom ISS Mission Crew Was Just Approved
Over the past few decades, the International Space Station has been orbiting Earth and providing access to an invaluable environment. While the station has been of great use over the years, it will not last forever. Around 2030 the ISS is expected to retire and be removed from orbit. Prior to this happening NASA along with other agencies are working with commercial companies such as Axiom Space to provide a replacement.
On February 2nd, 2022, NASA announced that space station partners had approved the first Axiom mission astronauts. This was a big step in making the first Axiom mission possible. These astronauts are a part of Axiom’s Ax-1 Mission, which is intended to bring the first all-private crew to the ISS. This same mission is providing the foundation for future missions bringing space station segments and more.
Axiom has been working hard over the past few years to not only develop future technology for a space station replacement but on the initial Ax-1 mission. Combine this with the help of SpaceX and the Crew Dragon, and you have a mission expected to happen in only a few months.
What Is The Ax-1 Mission?
The Ax-1 mission is meant to be the first step in the future of space access, living, and more. Axiom Space’s primary goal has always been to benefit Earth through space. This mission is no exception with the focus surrounding a brighter future for all. Specifically, three humans from three countries with three different stories, united as one on the crew of Ax-1 by their demonstrated commitments to improving the lives of people on Earth. Axiom is working with each Axionaut to design on-orbit activities that will fit their mission goals and allow them to shine a global spotlight on the causes that matter most in the world. Each will undergo Axiom training to live and work on the International Space Station, subject to final approval by NASA and the ISS International Partners. Axiom’s overall goal is to build and operate the world’s first private space station, the pillar of a thriving commercial network in Earth’s orbit.
Axiom private astronaut missions are the first step on the road to this near future. One way they will do this is by bringing research in LEO to the private sector. Ax-1 crew members will dedicate their eight-day mission aboard the ISS conducting innovative research developed for microgravity on behalf of major organizations ranging from hospitals to technology companies. Critical findings from the extensive array of experiments will make their way back to Earth and humankind. This initial mission has a patch designed to represent the goals and values of the crew and company. This patch represents the first all-private crew to ever visit the International Space Station, ushering in a new era of accessibility, commercialization, and increased science on the orbiting laboratory.
The Ax-1 mission patch incorporates these components as the core elements of the crew’s insignia and defines a watershed moment in human space exploration. In addition, Axiom Space points out “The turning of chapters in the human story has been marked by inflection points, dividing the before irrevocably from the after. Axiom provides missions to Earth’s orbit because the dawn of true private spaceflight is the next in that line of moments. Only into the expanse outside our atmosphere can the species step out of the cradle. And it all begins with this multinational crew. This groundbreaking mission. The humanitarian leaders flying Ax-1 are the first in a new class of pioneers stepping forth to lay the groundwork for a full realization of Low Earth Orbit’s possibilities – in service of all on Earth and all who will follow them beyond it.”
Recent Approval
On February 2nd, 2022, NASA announced that space station partners had approved the first Axiom mission astronauts. The flight, called Axiom Mission 1 or Ax-1, is targeted to launch Wednesday, March 30, from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on a flight-proven SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The Ax-1 crew will fly on Crew Dragon Endeavour to and from the space station. After 10 days in orbit, the Ax-1 crew will splash down off the coast of Florida. Axiom Space astronauts Michael López-Alegría, Larry Connor, Mark Pathy, and Eytan Stibbe are prime crew members of the Ax-1 mission. López-Alegría, who was born in Spain, raised in California, and a former NASA astronaut, will serve as the mission commander. Connor, of Dayton, Ohio, will serve as the pilot. Pathy, from Canada, and Stibbe, from Israel, will be mission specialists.
The quartet is scheduled to spend eight days aboard the orbiting laboratory conducting science, education, and commercial activities before their return to Earth. The director of commercial spaceflight at NASA Phil McAlister mentioned, “This represents another significant milestone in our efforts to create a low-Earth orbit economy”, and, “I wish these Axiom crew members safe travels, and I hope they find their time in space productive and enjoyable.” Since early 2021, the crew has been preparing for each aspect of the mission. In May 2021, the crew first went through zero-g and centrifuge training. Later in June of 2021, the crew and NASA worked with NOLS to develop leadership skills and help prepare them for the trip. From June to December of that same year work was done to ensure the crew was comfortable within the spacecraft. Around this same time period, they had ISS, payload, and general medical training. This brings us to today where the crew has now been approved and is working on the final steps prior to the launch in a few months.
The Ax-1 crew has been training at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston and other NASA facilities since August 2021 to familiarize themselves with station systems, scientific facilities, and emergency procedures. The crew also has been training with NASA’s space station international partners at ESA, as well as with launch contractor SpaceX at its facilities in Hawthorne, California, and at other locations in preparation for the mission. NASA and Axiom mission operations teams began joint simulations in December for familiarization with the dynamic phases of the private astronauts’ flight to and from the space station. Joint simulations will continue in preparation for launch. NASA continues to make rapid progress in its efforts to build a robust low-Earth orbit economy. The agency recently announced its selection of Axiom Space to begin negotiations for the second private astronaut mission. NASA also recently announced its selection of companies to develop designs for space stations and other commercial destinations in low-Earth orbit.
Conclusion
While the International Space Station has been an invaluable asset for multiple decades, it cannot last forever. Many aspects of the station are outdated and it costs a fortune to keep it fully operational each year. For these reasons among others, the station is expected to retire around 2030. As of right now, NASA is working with commercial companies including Axiom Space to slowly replace the station over time. The first mission is not carrying a space station segment and instead private astronauts. The mission crew was just approved and will be a big first step to a future consisting of a commercial space station. We will have to wait and see how the mission goes and the impact it has on the space industry.