On Wednesday at 4:49 p.m., SpaceX successfully launched Falcon 9′s Axiom Space Mission 3 to the International Space Station from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
According to a release from Axiom, this mission is a pivotal step along the journey toward Axiom Station, the world’s first commercial space station and successor to the ISS. Ax-3 is breaking down historical, and institutional barriers and redefining access to space for an entire region of the world.
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Three countries – Italy, Turkey, Sweden – along with the European Space Agency (ESA), have united for Ax-3 to become the first, all-European commercial astronaut mission to the ISS, and, in doing so, are boldly positioning their governments and space agencies as future leaders and customers in low-Earth orbit (LEO) post-ISS.
The crew will conduct more than 30 scientific experiments and demonstrations focused on human physiology and technological industrial advancements.
The crew includes:
- Michael Lopez-Alegria, United States and Spain
- Walter Villadei, Italy
- Alper Gezeravci, Turkey
- Marcus Wandt, Sweeden