NASA & Axiom Space Just Signed A Second Private Astronaut Mission
Not long ago, Axiom space made history with the successful completion of the Ax-1 Mission. Specifically, Ax-1 marked the first all private astronaut mission to the International Space Station. Here we watched 4 different astronauts launch on top of a Falcon 9 and reach the ISS in a Dragon capsule. Now in 2022, the company is ready to do it again.
Just yesterday both NASA and Axiom Space announced they had signed a second private astronaut mission planned for 2023. The mission will launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida and travel to the space station. Once docked, the Axiom astronauts are scheduled to spend 10 days aboard the orbiting laboratory. While this is exciting, in reality, this is another important step towards Axiom station and the future of accessing space.
Axiom Space and NASA have far greater goals regarding operations in space and future space stations. The first Axiom mission and the next are working toward growing the economy in low-Earth orbit. Here I will go more in-depth into the details of this mission, why it’s important to the future of the space industry, the difference from Ax-1, and more.
Ax-2 Announcement
Yesterday Axiom Space tweeted saying, “Axiom Space and @NASA have signed a mission order for the second private astronaut mission to the @Space_Station to take place in the second quarter of 2023.” In addition to this, both companies released more information on the new mission and what to expect. The spaceflight, designated as Axiom Mission 2, or (Ax-2), will launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center and travel to the ISS. From here, the Axiom astronauts are scheduled to spend 10 days aboard the orbiting laboratory. Before the launch, NASA and Axiom mission planners will coordinate in-orbit activities for the private astronauts to conduct in coordination with space station crew members and flight controllers on the ground.
For the Ax-2 mission, Axiom Space will submit four proposed crew members and four backup crew to the station’s Multilateral Crew Operations Panel for review. NASA is currently requiring all private astronaut mission providers to select a previously flown NASA astronaut as the spacecraft commander, and Axiom will comply with that requirement for Ax-2. Following review and approval from NASA and its international partners, the prime crew members for the mission will be named. In terms of the rocket and spacecraft, the Ax-2 crew members will train for their flight with NASA, international partners, and SpaceX, which Axiom has contracted as launch provider for transportation to and from the space station and who will familiarize the private astronauts with systems, procedures, and emergency preparedness for the space station and the Dragon spacecraft. Based on current mission planning, team crew training is scheduled to begin this fall. By now the Dragon spacecraft has launched 35 times and reached the ISS 32 times. The spacecraft is capable of carrying up to 7 passengers to and from Earth orbit, and beyond. It is also the only spacecraft currently flying that is capable of returning significant amounts of cargo to Earth, and is the first private spacecraft to take humans to the space station.
“With each new step forward, we are working together with commercial space companies and growing the economy in low-Earth orbit,” said Phil McAlister, director of commercial space at NASA Headquarters. “In addition to expanding access to orbit for more people, we are also hoping these private astronaut missions will help the industry learn and develop the skill set to conduct such missions, and NASA is benefitting from gaining additional capability, particularly with returning additional cargo from the space station.” In addition, Derek Hassmann, Axiom’s chief of Mission Integration and Operations highlighted that, “Axiom Space’s Ax-2 mission builds upon the success of Ax-1, which demonstrated our team’s ability to work collaboratively with our partners at NASA and SpaceX to plan and execute a complex human spaceflight mission”. “Axiom continues to fund and fly private astronaut missions to the International Space Station to build our expertise and attract new customers in preparation for the launch of our space station, Axiom Station. Our new Ax-2 crew, together with a full mission manifest of science, outreach, and commercial activities, will continue to increase utilization of the International Space Station National Laboratory and demonstrate to the world the benefits of commercial space missions for all humanity.”
Future of Accessing Space
While this new mission announcement is exciting, it all comes back to the greater goal of a commercial space station and the future of accessing space. Back in early 2020, NASA selected Axiom Space of Houston to provide at least one habitable commercial module to be attached to the International Space Station as the agency continues to open the station for commercial use. From here, Axiom Space hopes to continue adding segments and eventually detach from the station when the ISS is set to be retired. At that point, Axiom Space would have a fully commercial space station orbiting the Earth.
Taking a closer look at this future goal, right now the construction of the world’s first commercial space station is underway. Specifically, following the completion of preliminary and critical design reviews in collaboration with NASA earlier this fall, Axiom’s partners at Thales Alenia Space began welding and machining activities for the primary structures of Axiom Station’s first module. The first pieces of fabricated flight hardware are beginning to come together. In early 2023, the assembled module will join Axiom in Houston where they will complete the final assembly and integration to prepare for a late 2024 launch of the first section of the next-generation platform for breakthrough innovation in low-Earth orbit. This progress update partially refers to work on actual segments with Thales Alenia Space. Just over a month ago in late July, they tweeted saying, “What a beauty! @Axiom_Space ’s commercial space station, for which we will provide 2 pressurized modules, is already taking shape inside @Thales_Alenia_S ’ production area of #Turin. Our company is definitely pioneering the future of orbital infrastructures!” In addition, Axiom has been busy working on different components such as the bulkhead, propulsion, windows, avionics, hatches, and more.
Thankfully, Axiom provides a few different graphics that help give a better idea of what exactly they plan to build and the purpose of different station segments. It starts with the Axiom Hab One, which is the name of the company’s standard station segment. This segment will be used for crew quarters and or research and manufacturing capabilities. The next segment is named Axiom Hab Two. This shares a very similar design to the standard hab with a slight extension on the end. Axiom points out this segment would be used for extended crew quarters and support additional research capacity. Next is Axiom’s research and manufacturing facility. This includes a few different segments such as an observing room with windows in all directions, and an additional hab specifically for manufacturing purposes. Finally, you have the Axiom Power Thermal Module. On almost all of Axiom Space’s future station renderings, a large tower with solar panels is present. This is the power thermal module expected to provide an extended environment, life support, storage, and payload capabilities. Altogether, this creates Axiom Station, meant to increase access to space and provide a host of unique opportunities in low Earth orbit. It’s important to point out that a lot of the station’s design will likely change over time as Axiom continues to make progress. This being said, it gives us a good idea of what the company is working towards and what we can expect in the future.
All of this comes back to yesterday’s announcement of a second private mission to the ISS. For more than 21 years, NASA has supported a continuous U.S. human presence in low-Earth orbit. The agency’s goal is a low-Earth orbit marketplace where NASA is one of many customers, and the private sector leads the way. This strategy is hoping to provide services the government needs at a lower cost, enabling the agency to focus on its Artemis missions to the Moon and on to Mars while continuing to use low-Earth orbit as a training and proving ground for those deep space missions. On the other side, Axiom knows that in the weightless splendor of Earth’s orbit, research has led to discoveries in medicine, materials, and manufacturing previously kept hidden by gravity. Humans have learned how to live and work in space as a precursor to a future out amidst the Solar System. Astronauts have returned with a transpersonal revelation on the nature of our interdependence with our home, and with each other. These space-driven evolutions have fundamentally improved life back on Earth in irreversible ways. Axiom finishes by highlighting, we’ve only scratched the surface of that radical potential.
Conclusion
Axiom Space and NASA are once again working on another private mission the International Space Station. Just yesterday the agency and company announced Ax-2, another step in the right direction for accessing and working in space. We will have to wait and see how it progresses and the impact it has on the space industry.