In the years since it became the first company in human history to send astronauts into space, SpaceX hasn't stopped. Earlier today, SpaceX sent another group of astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS). The "Falcon 9" lifted off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, carrying the "Ax-3" mission astronauts on board.
In addition to sending government-funded and trained astronauts into space, SpaceX's Crew Dragon has also performed private missions.
Today's mission is the fourth private space launch of the "Manned Dragon" and the third space launch of AxiomSpace on a SpaceX spacecraft. During its launch, a team of European astronauts began their journey to the International Space Station to conduct research and expand their country's access to space.
After a successful liftoff earlier today at 4:49 p.m. ET, the Ax-3 crew will spend more than a day in space before docking at the International Space Station early Saturday morning. This mission is SpaceX’s 301st launch and the 11th operational mission of the Crew Dragon 2 spacecraft. SpaceX's Dragon capsule is the only U.S. vehicle capable of carrying astronauts into space, and ahead of today's mission, the company took some time to ensure that the parachute deployment would not present any potential mishaps.
During a conference call on today's mission, SpaceX's Benji Reed explained that SpaceX had to redesign some parts of the parachute connector system after discovering unusual movements aboard the Cargo Dragon 2. SpaceX originally planned to launch the Ax-3 yesterday, but the mission was delayed by a day.
Another upgrade to the rocket involves the connector between the second stage and Crew Dragon, with SpaceX replacing some equipment before liftoff and static ignition.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announced the Ax-3 mission in 2023, and AxiomSpace quickly selected veteran NASA astronaut Michael López-Alegría as the mission commander. With the exception of Commander Lopez Alegría, the other astronauts participating in this mission were flying into space for the first time. Their commander has flown many times and is currently retired.
Unlike SpaceX's NASA crew rotations, the Ax-3 crew will stay in space for two weeks before returning to Earth. This is far below the operational capabilities of the Crew Dragon, as SpaceX's spacecraft is designed to stay on the International Space Station for six months. However, because NASA charges private companies to use the ISS, most private companies' ISS missions are kept as short as possible to complete research objectives.
The crew plans to conduct more than 20 experiments in orbit around the International Space Station. Some of the experiments currently underway on the way to the International Space Station include studying biomarkers in space, proteins linked to neurological diseases and a spacesuit designed to monitor astronauts' body movements in space.
During the flight, they will rest for eight hours. More than 20 minutes after liftoff, SpaceX allowed the astronauts to take off their spacesuits.