posted 08-02-2024 08:55 AM               

Please use this topic to discuss Axiom Space's fourth private crewed mission (Ax-4) to the International Space Station.

posted 08-02-2024 08:55 AM            

• CDR: Peggy A. Whitson;
  
• PLT: Shubhanshu Shukla (ISRO);
  
• MS-1: Sławosz Uznański (ESA);
  
• MS-2: Tibor Kapu (HUNOR).

posted 08-02-2024 10:09 AM               

Next stage of training a Pole for a mission to the ISS

On Aug. 5, Polish project astronaut of the European Space Agency (ESA), Dr. Sławosz Uznański, begins the practical part of the training in preparation for the Polish mission to the International Space Station (ISS). The mission is planned for 2025.

In the first stage, the training will take place at Axiom Space, NASA and SpaceX centers located in the United States. In addition to the Pole, the AX-4 mission crew will include representatives of Hungary and India.

AX-4 mission composition:

• Peggy Whitson (USA) – Mission Commander
  
• Sławosz Uznański (Poland/ESA) – Mission Specialist
  
• Shubhanshu Shukla (India) – Mission Pilot
  
• Tibor Kapu (Hungary) – Mission Specialist

The crew members still need to receive approval from the international committee responsible for the International Space Station – the Multilateral Crew Operations Panel (MCOP), which includes representatives of all five international ISS partners: NASA, ESA, Roscosmos, JAXA and the Canadian Space Agency.

The mission is scheduled to launch next year from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The flight to the ISS will be carried out by SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket, which will carry the Dragon crew capsule into orbit. As part of the mission, the astronauts will spend about 14 days on the International Space Station.

Ax-4 will be the next commercial crewed mission of Axiom Space. The Pole's participation in this mission is the result of an agreement signed between the Ministry of Development and Technology and ESA to prepare and conduct a Polish technological mission to the ISS. On the Polish side, the Polish Space Agency (POLSA) is also involved in preparing the mission, as the executive agency of the Ministry of Technology and Technology.

The mission program will primarily focus on experiments developed by representatives of the Polish space sector, under the direction of ESA.

posted 08-09-2024 04:50 PM               

Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), the fourth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, now is targeted to launch no earlier than Spring 2025 from Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The Ax-4 crew members are pending approval to fly to the orbiting lab by the Multilateral Crew Operations Panel. The crew will train with NASA, international partners, Axiom Space and SpaceX for their flight.

posted 06-10-2025 07:47 PM               

During post static fire investigations of the Falcon 9 booster supporting the Ax-4 mission, SpaceX teams identified a LOx leak that requires additional work to be completed ahead of safely launching Ax-4 to the International Space Station. SpaceX continues to work closely with Axiom Space and their partners and will only launch when ready.

posted 06-12-2025 09:36 AM               

NASA and Axiom Space are postponing the launch of Axiom Mission 4 to the International Space Station. As part of an ongoing investigation, NASA is working with Roscosmos to understand a new pressure signature, after the recent post-repair effort in the aft most segment of the International Space Station's Zvezda service module.

Cosmonauts aboard the space station recently performed inspections of the pressurized module’s interior surfaces, sealed some additional areas of interest, and measured the current leak rate. Following this effort, the segment now is holding pressure. The postponement of Axiom Mission 4 provides additional time for NASA and Roscosmos to evaluate the situation and determine whether any additional troubleshooting is necessary. NASA defers to Roscosmos to answer specific questions about the Zvezda module.

A new launch date for the fourth private astronaut mission will be provided once available.

posted 06-14-2025 09:26 AM               

Following the most-recent repair, pressure in the transfer tunnel has been stable. Previously, pressure in this area would have dropped. This could indicate the small leaks have been sealed. Teams are also considering the stable pressure could be the result of a small amount of air flowing into the transfer tunnel across the hatch seal from the main part of space station. By changing pressure in the transfer tunnel and monitoring over time, teams are evaluating the condition of the transfer tunnel and the hatch seal between the space station and the back of Zvezda.

It is not uncommon for the agency and its international partners to adjust launches around changes in operations aboard the space station. Teams are making progress evaluating the transfer tunnel configuration, resulting in an updated launch opportunity for the private astronaut mission.

In addition, SpaceX teams have repaired a liquid oxygen leak identified during post-static fire Falcon 9 rocket inspections. Following the repairs, the company completed a wet dress rehearsal of the Falcon 9.

posted 06-15-2025 09:49 AM               

quote:

---

Originally posted by Tom:
Was any reason(s) given for the recent delays in launching Axiom-4?

---

A day before the lift off on June 10, William Gerstenmaier, Vice President for Build and Flight Reliability, SpaceX said "We found a LOX (liquid oxygen) leak that was previously seen on the booster during its (Falcon-9) entry on the last mission and discovered that we had not fully repaired the booster during refurbishment, or we didn't find the leak and didn't get not correct it. We have now gone out to the launch pad. We're continuing to troubleshoot that," the SpaceX official said.

"We should complete it today, and we will have that back in configuration. We are installing a purge that will essentially mitigate the leak if it continues...So we will be fully ready to go fly," Mr Gerstenmaier added.

Despite admitting to a propellant leak, the SpaceX team decided to launch the ailing rocket on June 11. However, after learning of the "leak", ISRO chief, Dr Narayanan, strongly disagreed with the decision and demanded full correction, with validation by proper tests, including low-temperature leak tests. His insistence on due diligence to rectify the leak forced the SpaceX team to call off the launch on June 11.

SpaceX teams went back to the launch pad and carried out inspections, which led to a surprise and shocking detection of a "weld crack" - A big flaw in one of the liquid oxygen lines. This crack had gone unnoticed, even though the first stage is a recycled and refurbished one.

The cracked portion has been replaced after Dr Narayanan's insistence, and adequate tests have been carried out on the health of the repaired system.

posted 06-19-2025 05:53 PM               

NASA, Axiom Space, and SpaceX continue reviewing launch opportunities for Axiom Mission 4 to the International Space Station. NASA has made the decision to stand down from a launch on Sunday, June 22, and will target a new launch date in the coming days.

posted 06-25-2025 08:57 AM               

Add the lone name during Gemini: GT-3, named 'Molly Brown' by Gus Grissom in a sly reference to his Liberty Bell 7 sinking after MR-4. NASA objected, and Grissom then suggested 'Titanic'; officials grudgingly relented.

posted 06-26-2025 09:12 AM               

Watch the Ax-4 crew arrive to the International Space Station to begin their 14 day mission on board the orbiting laboratory.