NASA and partners approve crew for Axiom Space's third private astronaut mission

NASA and its partners have approved the four-member crew for Axiom Space's third private astronaut mission to the International Space Station.

The Axiom Mission 3 (Ax-3) is scheduled to launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket aboard a Dragon spacecraft no earlier than January 2024.

The crew includes:

• Commander Michael López-Alegría - Axiom Space's chief astronaut and former NASA astronaut
• Italian Air Force Col. Walter Villadei will serve as pilot
• Mission specialists Alper Gezeravci of Turkey and European Space Agency project astronaut Marcus Wandt of Sweden.

The quartet will spend up to 14 days aboard the orbiting laboratory to perform science, outreach, and commercial activities.

Commenting on this development, the Ax-3 mission commander López-Alegría, said, "It is an honor to command another private astronaut mission with Axiom Space and lead a dynamic crew of professional operators representing several nations across one region of the world."

Announcing astronaut crew for Axiom Mission 3, #Ax3, set to launch to International Space Station no earlier than January 2024! First-ever, all-European commercial astronaut mission to the orbiting laboratory, redefining the pathway to LEO! https://t.co/84HPyDT4dT

— Axiom Space (@Axiom_Space) September 12, 2023

NASA has selected Axiom Space for another private astronaut mission, Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), to the space station, scheduled to launch no earlier than August 2024 from the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

"I am proud to see NASA and industry's continued dedication toward enabling private astronaut missions. These commercial efforts continue to expand opportunity and access to microgravity research and discovery. Each of these missions is a next step in building our shared future in low Earth orbit," said Angela Hart, manager, NASA's Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development Program at the agency's Johnson Space Center in Houston.