Sept. 12 (UPI) — NASA has given the green light to a four-person crew for Axiom’s highly-anticipated third commercial space mission. The mission is set to take off no earlier than January 2024.
“Axiom Space’s renowned astronaut, Michael Lopez-Alegria, will lead the private mission as its commander. He will be accompanied by Italian Air Force Col. Walter Villadei as the pilot. The team of mission specialists includes Alper Gezeravci from Turkey and Marcus Wandt from the European Space Agency (ESA),” revealed NASA in a press release on Tuesday.
The crew is expected to embark on their adventure to the International Space Station aboard a Crew Dragon spacecraft, launched by a Falcon 9 rocket. Following the docking process, they will spend 14 days conducting operations within the ISS.
NASA is hopeful that commercial space travel will revolutionize the possibilities of space exploration.
“By facilitating private astronaut missions to the space station, NASA is progressing towards the development of a thriving ecosystem and marketplace in low-Earth orbit. This will enable more countries, more individuals, and more opportunities in space,” stated NASA.
Commander Lopez-Alegria commented on the significance of this mission, stating, “This crew is challenging the traditional methods of government and space agencies, as we explore the benefits of microgravity. I eagerly anticipate collaborating with this team and the global support we will receive from the ground and on the orbit.”
In addition, NASA believes that private space missions will help reduce costs, freeing up funds for the upcoming Artemis moon mission.
“Our objective is to establish a robust commercial marketplace in low-Earth orbit, where NASA can be one of many customers. This strategy will provide cost-effective services, allowing NASA to concentrate on the Artemis moon missions in its journey towards Mars,” added NASA.
