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SpaceX launched a decorated former NASA astronaut and three paying customers on Sunday afternoon from Florida. The crew will be staying on the International Space Station for a week. Axiom Space, the Houston-based company that organized the mission, is marking the second all-private journey to the outpost. Named AX-2, it will make history with stem cell researcher Rayyanah Barnawi, the first Saudi Arabian woman to go to space.
Thunderstorms
As Florida enters its summer wet season, pristine conditions for rocket launches are slightly more challenging to find. Weather officials kept a close eye on thunderstorms as the crew boarded the SpaceX rocket on Sunday afternoon. Eventually, they gave clearance for launch. SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket took off, carrying the Crew Dragon capsule and its four passengers toward orbit.
16-hour Journey
For the next 16 hours, the crew will be aboard Crew Dragon as it makes careful maneuvers to align with the International Space Station. The spacecraft should dock with the orbiting laboratory at 9:24 a.m. ET Monday.
Goals of the Mission
Axiom Space and NASA hope that the AX-2 mission will continue to spur private sector participation in spaceflight, especially low-Earth orbit, where the space station is. The AX-2 mission is one of the lineups of missions that they have and that they hope will target the private sector.
Working Alongside Existing Crew Members
The AX-2 crew will work alongside seven astronauts who are already aboard the space station. The four of them will spend around eight days working on more than 20 investigations and science projects, including biomedical research and stem cell. This will be Whitson’s first return to space since 2017. Peggy Whitson, 63, is the Axiom employee leading the AX-2 crew. However, she also became the first woman to command a private spaceflight with this mission.
The Business Plan
Axiom Space and SpaceX established a partnership to provide a framework for numerous customers to travel to the space station; government astronauts are vital to their business plan. Axiom’s goal is to make the missions routine so that more people who aren’t professional astronauts might experience spaceflight. Derek Hassmann, Chief of Mission Integration and Operations at Axiom Space, said that it wasn’t clear to them, in the beginning, what the balance would be between government astronauts and private individuals. However, they are pursuing this business plan actively.
FAQ Section
What is the AX-2 mission?
The AX-2 mission marks the second all-private spaceflight to the International Space Station. The Crew Dragon capsule will carry Rayyanah Barnawi, the first Saudi Arabian woman to go to space, former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, and two other paying customers. For eight days, they will work alongside the seven existing crew members, performing over 20 investigations and science projects, including biomedical research.
Who organized the AX-2 mission?
The Houston-based company, Axiom Space, organized the mission. Their goal is to spur private sector participation in spaceflight, particularly in low-Earth orbits where the International Space Station stays.
What is Axiom’s business plan?
Axiom’s business plan is to make private missions routine as SpaceX provides a framework for various customers’ travel. The company expects more government-sponsored customers like those from Saudi Arabia on the AX-2 mission.
Who is Peggy Whitson?
Peggy Whitson is a former NASA astronaut, and with the AX-2 mission, she becomes the first woman to command a private spaceflight. This will be her first return to space since 2017. She will lead the AX-2 crew in a week-long stay on the International Space Station.
What is the goal of SpaceX?
SpaceX aims to transport customers and cargo to the International Space Station, help people travel in space, and eventually colonize Mars.
Conclusion
The AX-2 mission is making history by including the first Saudi Arabian woman to go to space. However, it’s just one of the many missions that Axiom Space and NASA hope will continue to make private sector participation in spaceflight more widespread, particularly in low-Earth orbit. The duration of their stay is eight days- enough time for the four to work alongside the seven existing crew members and perform over 20 investigations and science projects, including biomedical research and stem cell. Derek Hassmann, Axiom’s Chief of Mission Integration and Operations, discussed their vision to make these missions routine, providing ample opportunities for people who are not professional astronauts to experience spaceflight.
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