Axiom sets launch date for first private commercial manned mission to ISS
Capitalism in space: Axiom has set February 21, 2022 as the target launch date for its first private commercial manned mission to ISS, carrying one employee and three passengers for eight days.
In making the announcement the company emphasized the science research the passengers — Larry Connor, Mark Pathy, and Eytan Stibbe — will do:
The crew activities of Axiom Mission 1 (Ax-1) will focus on science, education, and outreach, conducting approximately 25 experiments while onboard the ISS. Critical data from studies in human research, life and physical sciences, technology demonstrations, and Earth observation will expand the applicability of microgravity research to new sectors. The crew has submitted over 100 hours of human-tended research to conduct during their stay on station.
The commander will be former NASA astronaut Michael López-Alegría, who now works for Axiom. This will be his fifth spaceflight.
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Capitalism in space: Axiom has set February 21, 2022 as the target launch date for its first private commercial manned mission to ISS, carrying one employee and three passengers for eight days.
In making the announcement the company emphasized the science research the passengers — Larry Connor, Mark Pathy, and Eytan Stibbe — will do:
The crew activities of Axiom Mission 1 (Ax-1) will focus on science, education, and outreach, conducting approximately 25 experiments while onboard the ISS. Critical data from studies in human research, life and physical sciences, technology demonstrations, and Earth observation will expand the applicability of microgravity research to new sectors. The crew has submitted over 100 hours of human-tended research to conduct during their stay on station.
The commander will be former NASA astronaut Michael López-Alegría, who now works for Axiom. This will be his fifth spaceflight.
Readers!
Please consider supporting my work here at Behind the Black. Your support allows me the freedom and ability to analyze objectively the ongoing renaissance in space, as well as the cultural changes -- for good or ill -- that are happening across America. Fourteen years ago I wrote that SLS and Orion were a bad ideas, a waste of money, would be years behind schedule, and better replaced by commercial private enterprise. Only now does it appear that Washington might finally recognize this reality.
In 2020 when the world panicked over COVID I wrote that the panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Only in the past year have some of our so-called experts in the health field have begun to recognize these facts.
Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.
You can support me either by giving a one-time contribution or a regular subscription. There are four ways of doing so:
1. Zelle: This is the only internet method that charges no fees. All you have to do is use the Zelle link at your internet bank and give my name and email address (zimmerman at nasw dot org). What you donate is what I get.
2. Patreon: Go to my website there and pick one of five monthly subscription amounts, or by making a one-time donation.
3. A Paypal Donation or subscription:
4. Donate by check, payable to Robert Zimmerman and mailed to
Behind The Black
c/o Robert Zimmerman
P.O.Box 1262
Cortaro, AZ 85652
You can also support me by buying one of my books, as noted in the boxes interspersed throughout the webpage or shown in the menu above.
Bob:
I didn’t know that Axiom had developed a time machine. How do we tune in to watch last February? : )
MDN: Wiseguy. I have fixed the typo. Thank you.
I was going to observe that the mission is quite behind schedule already, but the time-machine explanation worked for me too.
Ps. None of the linked NASA pieces mention the booster to be used, so I am assuming it is a Falcon-9. Elon seems to have the ride of choice, what with Atlas all used up and Vulcan and New Glenn lacking a critical element, the engine! Some of them might be on a Falcon Heavy, I guess.
Ray Van Dune: Once again, you are typing on the very resource that would answer your questions. Do a search for Axiom and Dragon. I am sure you will find the post that tells you the booster and capsule for this mission.
Note too that this manned mission can only fly right now on Dragon. Do you really think a Dragon will be stacked on anything but a Falcon 9?
It doesn’t appear that a Falcon 9 booster has been assigned to Axiom-1 – at least not one that has been identified publicly – but most likely, I’d guess, it will be one of the more lightly used ones, like B1062 or B1067 – probably 1062, since that was used for the only other private space mission so far (Inspiration4).
But the Dragon will definitely be Resilience. Clearly it’s being dedicated to commercial missions, with Endeavour and Endurance set aside for NASA missions.
“Do you really think a Dragon will be stacked on anything but a Falcon 9?”
My comment applied to the listed LUNAR missions, none of which are manned. I enjoy conversing about things here, and “conversing” implies I might ask an inaccurate or superfluous question. I’ll try to make sure it doesn’t happen again.
RVD: Please don’t be offended. I just like to remind people that this website is a valuable resource.
As to the boosters used by these unmanned missions, see this post on BtB:
SpaceX grabbing 90% of the launch contracts to the Moon