Axiom Space and NASA have recently signed a mission order to initiate the second private astronaut mission to the International Space Station. This would take place in the second quarter of 2023.
The spacecraft for this mission is designated as Axiom Mission 2 (Ax-2). It will take off from MASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida to the Space Station. The Axiom astronauts will spend 10 days aboard the orbiting laboratory.
Derek Hassmann, the Chief of Mission Integration and Operations of Axiom expressed that their new mission will facilitate the utilisation of the International Space Station National Laboratory to showcase the perks of commercial space missions for all of humanity.
Axiom Space will reportedly submit four proposed crew members and four back-up crew to the Multilateral Crew Operations Panel of the station for review. NASA recently made it necessary for a previously flown NASA astronaut to be selected as the spacecraft commander. Axiom will adhere to this requirement for Ax-2. The prime crew members will be named after review and approval from NASA and its international partners.
The team crew will have their training started sometime this fall.
The mission specific order recently signed facilitates Axiom to services such as crew supplies, delivering cargos to space, storage and other in-orbit resources for daily use from NASA. In addition, SpaceX also has a Reimbursable Space Act Agreement with Kennedy for launch services.
