NASA picks Axiom Space for third private astronaut mission to space station

NASA announced Tuesday that it has selected Axiom Space for the third private astronaut mission to the International Space Station. The mission, Axiom Mission 3 or Ax-3, is planned to launch no earlier than November 2023.

For Axiom Mission 3 (Ax-3), the company will submit four proposed crew members and two backup crew to the station's Multilateral Crew Operations Panel for review. The prime crew members for the mission will be named after review and approval from NASA and its international partners, the agency said in a press release.

"The diversity of currently available commercial orbital human spaceflight opportunities is truly astounding. NASA's commercial crew flights to the space station for our government astronauts paved the way for fully private missions to space like Inspiration4 and Polaris as well as private astronaut missions to the orbiting laboratory like the one we are announcing today," said Phil McAlister, director of commercial space at NASA Headquarters in Washington.

Axiom Mission 3 crew members will train for their flight with NASA, international partners, and SpaceX. The training is scheduled to begin this spring. The crew is expected to spend 14 days at the orbiting laboratory.

"Axiom Space's selection to lead the next private astronaut mission to the International Space Station enables us to continue expanding access to nations, academia, commercial entities, and emerging industries to research, test, and demonstrate new technologies in microgravity," said Michael Suffredini, CEO and president of Axiom Space.

Meanwhile, NASA and Axiom Space are gearing up to unveil a spacesuit prototype of what the astronauts will wear during the Artemis III mission to the Moon, which is planned for 2025. The spacesuit will be revealed on Wednesday, March 15, during a televised event beginning at 10:30 a.m. EDT (9:30 a.m. CDT).

Axiom Space is #BuildingforBeyond by developing @NASA next-generation astronaut spacesuits. The #AxEMU will support the Artemis III lunar mission, as well as future customers on Axiom Station. See the big reveal LIVE Wednesday 9:30 CT https://t.co/8V9NbPrbGB#BuildingHistory pic.twitter.com/OiZiZ2Uk77

— Axiom Space (@Axiom_Space) March 14, 2023