First all-private astronaut mission 'Ax-1' nears launch: All you need to know

The Axiom Mission 1 (Ax-1), the first private astronaut mission to the International Space Station (ISS), is targeted to launch no earlier than Sunday, April 3, from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Ahead of the launch, NASA will conduct a flight readiness review for the mission on Friday, March 25, followed by a media briefing at 6 p.m. EDT, which will focus on the readiness of the Ax-1 flight to visit the ISS, including arrival, docking, in-orbit, and undocking operations at the orbital complex.

We're about a week away from the first all-private astronaut mission to the @Space_Station!Tune in Friday, March 25 after the Flight Readiness Review for a briefing with @Axiom_Space & @SpaceX mission leaders. Estimated start time is 6pm ET (22:00 UTC): https://t.co/Ilaa4OciV7 pic.twitter.com/IQMrrL04mD

— NASA (@NASA) March 24, 2022

Here's all you need to know about the first private astronaut mission to the space station:

Private astronaut missions are privately funded, fully commercial spaceflights aimed at enabling tourism, outreach, commercial research, and approved commercial and marketing activities on the space station.

Ax-1 will be commanded by former NASA astronaut Michael Lopez-Alegria with Pilot Larry Connor, and Mission Specialists Eytan Stibbe and Mark Pathy aboard the SpaceX Dragon Endeavour vehicle, which will launch on the company's Falcon 9 rocket.

The Axiom crew will spend eight days aboard the orbiting laboratory conducting scientific research, outreach, and commercial activities before their return to Earth. The crew will splash down off the coast of Florida after spending 10 days in orbit.

Update

The Flight Readiness Review for Axiom Mission 1 has concluded and teams are proceeding toward its launch.