SpaceX Rocket Set to Launch European Astronauts, Including First Turkish Citizen, to International Space Station
A SpaceX rocket is preparing for an extraordinary mission to the International Space Station, with a group of European astronauts on board. This mission is particularly significant as it includes the first person from Turkey who will venture into outer space. The private sector, with support from NASA, has been actively involved in increasing commercial activity in Earth’s orbit. As NASA plans to retire the International Space Station and focus on deeper space missions, such as those to the moon and Mars, private space stations are expected to take over.
Originally scheduled for Wednesday, the launch of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket had to be postponed due to final checks. The teams had to address issues with the parachutes on the Crew Dragon capsule, which sits atop the Falcon 9 during launch. The launch is now set for 4:49 p.m. ET on Thursday from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Once in space, the Crew Dragon capsule will separate from the Falcon 9 rocket and begin its journey towards the space station, with docking expected early Saturday morning.
The four-person crew on board this mission, known as Axiom-3, includes Alper Gezeravcı, a fighter pilot from the Turkish air force. Gezeravcı is set to make history as the first Turkish citizen to reach low-Earth orbit. Also on board are Walter Villadei from the Italian air force and Marcus Wandt, a member of the European Space Agency’s astronaut reserve. Leading the mission is Michael López-Alegría, a former NASA astronaut who now serves as a mission commander for Axiom Space.
Axiom’s missions aim to provide flights to the International Space Station for those who can afford a ticket. Previous Axiom missions have carried a mix of wealthy businesspeople and astronauts whose governments have paid for their seats. However, this particular flight is the first Axiom mission where a government or space agency has purchased all the seats. It is noteworthy that all the customers on this mission have backgrounds as military pilots, a common starting point for many astronauts.
The flights organized by Axiom and SpaceX offer an alternative route to space for private citizens and astronauts from nations that are not part of the routine crew rotation on the International Space Station. While NASA has a separate deal with SpaceX for crew changes, Axiom organizes shorter trips to the space station that last only a couple of weeks. Any private citizen or country can sign up for these missions, with seats previously selling for $55 million each.
This mission also presents an opportunity for the European Space Agency (ESA) to participate and contribute to the research conducted during the flight. ESA has deals with NASA to fly European astronauts as part of the regular space station crew rotation. However, this mission allows ESA to secure an additional seat and conduct its own research. Frank De Winne, the head of ESA’s European Astronaut Centre, sees this as a stepping stone towards the post-ISS era, as the International Space Station will eventually come to an end.
Axiom’s business model aligns with NASA’s current approach to space exploration, which involves encouraging private industry investment in space travel and the development of commercial space stations. Axiom is one of several companies planning to build its own private space station. The Axiom-3 crew is expected to spend 14 days on the space station, working alongside the seven astronauts already on board. They will be engaged in over 30 experiments, including research on motion sickness in space, studying lightning on clouds, investigating proteins linked to neurogenerative diseases, and exploring how gene-edited plants respond in microgravity.
This mission marks another milestone in the ongoing collaboration between SpaceX, NASA, and private companies in advancing space exploration and commercial activities in Earth’s orbit. With the increasing involvement of the private sector, the future of space travel and research looks promising, paving the way for new discoveries and opportunities beyond our planet.
