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Forum:	Commercial Space - Military Space
Topic:	[Discuss] Axiom's Ax-3 mission to ISS

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Your Reply: HTML is ON UBB Code is ON Smilies Legend	[QUOTE]Originally posted by Robert Pearlman: [B]Axiom Space video <BLOCKQUOTE>[i]Ax-3 is go for launch. Launch time is 4:49 p.m. EST.[/i]</BLOCKQUOTE> <center><iframe width="400" height="225" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JID6c2vJJXM?si=uGbR2TwX5LazT_R6" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></center>[/B][/QUOTE]
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<table border=0 cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 width="600"><TR><td bgcolor="#000000"><TABLE BORDER=0 cellpadding=4 border=0 cellspacing=1 WIDTH="100%"><TR bgcolor="#660000"><TD COLSPAN=2><CENTER>T O P I C     R E V I E W</CENTER></TD></TR><TR bgcolor="#494949"><TD valign=top>Robert Pearlman</TD><TD><BLOCKQUOTE>Please use this topic to discuss Axiom Space's <A HREF="http://www.collectspace.com/ubb/Forum35/HTML/001137.html">third private crewed mission</A> (Ax-3) to the International Space Station.</BLOCKQUOTE></TD></TR><TR bgcolor="#333333"><TD valign=top>brianjbradley</TD><TD>My bet is on Rex Walheim as commander. What do we think?</TD></TR><TR bgcolor="#494949"><TD valign=top>Robert Pearlman</TD><TD>Axiom today announced the crew: <UL TYPE=SQUARE><LI>Michael López-Alegría, commander <LI>Italian Air Force Col. Walter Villadei, pilot <LI>Alper Gezeravcı of Türkiye, mission specialist <LI>Marcus Wandt of Sweden, mission specialist</UL></TD></TR><TR bgcolor="#333333"><TD valign=top>Robert Pearlman</TD><TD>Per today's NASA Advisory Council meeting, the launch of Ax-3 is targeted for no earlier than Jan. 10, 2024.</TD></TR><TR bgcolor="#494949"><TD valign=top>Robert Pearlman</TD><TD>From ESA (<A HREF="https://twitter.com/esaspaceflight/status/1726664709401952572" TARGET=_blank>via X</A>): <BLOCKQUOTE>First pre-launch tradition for Marcus Wandt completed.ESA project astronaut Marcus Wandt planted a tree at the European Astronaut Centre last week, as part of the tradition followed by many space travellers before they launch into space.The tree is a sweetgum tree. In Autumn, its leaves turn bright red, like the flares of rocket launched into space.Marcus is the fifth European to plant his tree in Germany...</BLOCKQUOTE> <center><a href="http://www.collectspace.com/review/esa_ax3_muninn_wandt_tree_planting01-lg.jpg" target="AirLock"><img src="http://www.collectspace.com/review/esa_ax3_muninn_wandt_tree_planting01.jpg" width="400" height="267" border="0"></a></center></TD></TR><TR bgcolor="#333333"><TD valign=top>Robert Pearlman</TD><TD>From Axiom Space (via X): <BLOCKQUOTE>Ax-3 is now targeted to launch to the space station no earlier than Jan. 17 from LC-39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.</BLOCKQUOTE></TD></TR><TR bgcolor="#494949"><TD valign=top>Robert Pearlman</TD><TD>Axiom Space video <BLOCKQUOTE>Prior to entering quarantine, Axiom Space employees came together to celebrate the Ax-3 crew. Crew Send-off is a tradition that pays tribute to the dedication and tireless efforts of Team Axiom leading into a human spaceflight mission. God Speed Ax-3!</BLOCKQUOTE> <center><iframe width="400" height="225" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xK0ivc0FnCY?si=q9SkIQUhweizFSyc" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen>

Robert Pearlman

From Axiom Space:

SpaceX and Axiom Space are now targeting Thursday, Jan. 18 at 4:49 p.m. EST (2149 GMT) for the launch of Axiom Mission 3 (Ax-3) to the International Space Station (ISS).
This launch date change will allow additional time for teams to complete pre-launch checkouts and data analysis, including of the parachute system energy modulator.

Robert Pearlman

Axiom Space video

Ax-3 is go for launch. Launch time is 4:49 p.m. EST.

Robert Pearlman

Axiom Space video

The Dragon spacecraft will dock autonomously to the forward port of the station's Harmony module as early as 4:19 a.m. EST Saturday. Hatches between Dragon and the station are expected to open after 6 a.m., allowing the Axiom crew to enter the complex for a welcoming ceremony and start their stay aboard the orbiting laboratory.

issman1

Curious why SpaceX Freedom took inordinately longer to reach ISS than Russian Soyuz does. Anything to do with the return to launch site of the first stage?

And why was Italian astronaut Walter Villadei regarded as a rookie, when he in fact reached space on Virgin Galactic 01 in June 2023?

Robert Pearlman

Dragon, like Soyuz and all other visiting vehicles, can take anywhere between a few hours to a few days to reach the space station depending on when it launches and the proximity of the station at the time the spacecraft enters orbit.

SpaceX and, I believe, Axiom Space have said that they have opted for extended rendezvous periods to give the first-time fliers on the crew a chance to adapt to microgravity while aboard Dragon. That way they can arrive at the space station ready to get to work.

There are two forms of the ASE's Universal Astronaut Pin, suborbital and orbital, so even if Villadei was awarded the suborbital version earlier, he merited a new pin now.

Virgin Galactic chooses to award its own pins at its spaceflights and then the crew members can request a pin from ASE. Its possible that Villadei, knowing he was going to fly on Ax-3 at the time of his Virgin Galactic flight, decided to wait to get his once reaching orbit.

Michael Lopez-Alegria cited his crew's numbers based on those who entered orbit. Axiom Space further noted on its website:

López-Alegría presented the pins, declaring Gezeravcı to be the 676th and Wandt the 677th to go to space. Villadei became number 666 during his Virgin Galactic flight on Jun. 29, 2023.

Robert Pearlman

The Ax-3 crew farewell ceremony:

The Ax-3 crew is scheduled to undock from the space station on Saturday (Feb. 3) at 6:05 a.m. EST, with splashdown off the Florida coast about 13 hours later.

Robert Pearlman

Due to unfavorable recovery conditions off the coast of Florida, NASA and SpaceX are now targeting no earlier than Monday (Feb. 5) for Dragon and the Ax-3 crew to undock from the International Space Station.

Teams will continue to monitor weather ahead of the next undocking opportunity.

Robert Pearlman

The Ax-3 undocking is now planned for no earlier than Tuesday (Feb. 6).

The next weather review is planned for 3 p.m. EST on Sunday.

Robert Pearlman

The Ax-3 undocking remains targeted for no earlier than 9:05 a.m. EST Tuesday (Feb. 6) following the latest review of weather conditions off the coast of Florida.

The next weather review is planned for 9 a.m. EST on Monday.

Robert Pearlman

NASA, Axiom Space and SpaceX have stood down from supporting an undocking on Tuesday (Feb. 6). The next weather review is planned for noon EST Tuesday.

Robert Pearlman

Undocking is now targeted for no earlier than 9:05 a.m. EST Wednesday (Feb. 7).

Coverage of hatch-closure preparations will begin at 7 a.m. NASA's coverage of undocking will resume at 8:45 a.m. (times subject to change based on operations).

Robert Pearlman

Axiom Space video

SpaceX, Axiom Space, and NASA are targeting no earlier than Wednesday, February 7 at 9:20 a.m. ET for Dragon and the Ax-3 astronauts to depart from the International Space Station.
After performing a series of burns to move away from the space station, Dragon will conduct multiple orbit-lowering maneuvers, jettison its trunk, and re-enter Earth's atmosphere for splashdown off the coast of Florida approximately 47.5 hours later on Friday, February 9.

GACspaceguy

Well, that is a significantly longer time between undocking and splashdown (was 13 hours earlier in the week).

I was hoping for another spectacular reentry view here in southwest Georgia when it was coming in after sunset.

Robert Pearlman

Axiom Space video

Welcome back to Earth, Ax-3 crew: Michael Lopez-Alegria, Walter Villadei, Alper Gezeravcı and Marcus Wandt!
Today, the Dragon spacecraft successfully splashed down [at about 8:30 a.m. EST], marking the end of their successful mission to the International Space Station.

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