CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida – SpaceX will introduce a former NASA astronaut and three mercenaries on a trip to the International Space Station. That mission, called Ax-1, leaves today (April 8)!
Today’s release, which comes a few days after what was expected after NASA’s Artemis 1 “dress rehearsal,” is expected to kick off the first scheduled mission. by the Texas company. Axiom Space. Ax-1 will embark on a 10-day mission to the airport commanded by former NASA pilot Michael López-Alegría. The missionary will be flying with passengers Larry Connor, Mark Pathy and Eytan Stibbe.
Ax-1 began launching today (April 8) at 11:17 am EDT (1517 GMT) from Pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on Florida’s Space Coast. Sailors will ride a SpaceX Crew Dragon aboard a Falcon 9 rocket.
You can take a closer look at the beginning here at Space.com or via the SpaceX YouTube page (opens on new page). The live broadcast will begin at about 7:55 am EDT (1155 GMT).
Live updates: Ax-1 is the personal missionary in space
Select: Space Axiom: Building the Earth’s outer economy
Details: Ax-1
If today’s start goes to planning, Ax-1 will crash into the airport tomorrow (April 9) at around 7:30 am EDT (1130 GMT). The mission lasted 10 days, with eight of those days being spent by pilots at the airport. This was the first flight for Axiom Space and the first private missionary to space.
“When I was a kid, I was really encouraged by the first human missions that NASA put in the first three. [human spaceflight programs] – Mercury, Gemini and Apollo missions, “Lopez-Alegría said during a news conference before April 1.” It’s inspiring for me, and to be able to get into what I think will open up in the next chapter. it’s honorable. ”
“I can say without a doubt that we are ready to fly,” he said.
Ax-1 will take López-Alegría and her three colleagues to the orbiting space. Prior to release, the pilots completed a pre-flight quarantine, which is common for astronauts everywhere at offices and headquarters. This protects all astronauts on the airfield from flying diseases that can be transmitted by flying.
The three members, however, are not happy with the pay, which is estimated to have paid around $ 55 million. They will also bring equipment and scientific experiments to perform in space.
These experiments are a “brain headhead” from an Israeli inception that aims to study the brain’s response to flying and sitting in the air and other scientists from Ramon Foundation not necessary. Stibbe technically takes these tests on the side of the field, which he also established in memory of his friend, Ilan Ramon, the Israeli pilot, who died on the ship. aircraft aircraft Columbia to the catastrophic end of the mission in 2003. Stibbe was the second Israeli to reach orbit; Ramon was the first.
Axiom’s Ax-1 mission is a major first for the company, but it’s part of a much larger plan to create a commercial center in orbit. The company began building on That is what he says The world’s first commercial airport.
Axiom plans to launch its first module on the ISS in 2024, and then ship more in the coming years. These modules will depart from the ISS and become Axiom’s free spacecraft into orbit, the company said.
Why the delay?
The mission’s release was delayed from April 6 to April 8, possibly due to delays in the preparation of NASA’s Artemis 1 costume. The wet suit, which is a training ground for beginners that includes fully filling the rocket and counting and other techniques to ensure that the actual start day goes smoothly. planning, facing problems on the board, moving wood. Part of the experiment from April 3 to April 4.
“On examination after the second experiment, it was shown that the vent valve prevented the assembly from injecting the hydrogen fluid which was stored physically in the ventilator, which was not prevented from command. away from an open position. NASA said in a statement (opens on new page).
Although the trials were held over those two days, the trials were postponed and, on April 5, members of the missionary group announced at a news conference that Axiom would begin and begin again. Artemis 1 works after release.
Email Chelsea Gohd at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter @chelsea_gohd (opens on new page). Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom (opens on new page) and on Facebook.
