On this picture from video offered by NASA, the 11 Worldwide House Station crew members representing Expedition 70 (pink shirts) and Axiom House 3 (darkish blue fits) crews collect for a farewell ceremony calling right down to mission controllers on Earth on Friday, Feb. 2, 2024.
NASA through AP
conceal caption
toggle caption
NASA through AP
On this picture from video offered by NASA, the 11 Worldwide House Station crew members representing Expedition 70 (pink shirts) and Axiom House 3 (darkish blue fits) crews collect for a farewell ceremony calling right down to mission controllers on Earth on Friday, Feb. 2, 2024.
NASA through AP
ORLANDO, Fla. — A crew of 4 is again on Earth after splashing down off Daytona Seashore, Fla. Friday morning in the identical SpaceX capsule that launched the crew’s mission three weeks in the past from the Kennedy House Middle.
Their return was delayed several days resulting from poor climate off Florida’s coast. The capsule undocked from the International Space Station Wednesday, over the Pacific Ocean, and spent two days freely flying in orbit earlier than punching via the environment Friday and returning house within the Atlantic Ocean.
The Ax-3 mission to the Worldwide House Station was chartered by Houston-based firm Axiom House. The crew’s Dragon capsule launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket January 18.
Ax-3 was commanded by Michael López-Alegría, a former NASA astronaut and now chief astronaut at Axiom. Italian Air Pressure colonel Walter Villadei piloted the mission, whereas Turkish Air Pressure pilot Alper Gezeravcı and European House Company astronaut Marcus Wandt from Sweden served as mission specialists.
López-Alegría holds twin citizenship with america and Spain, making this the primary all-European business crew to fly to the area station.
“It has been an unimaginable, busy and fun-filled two weeks up right here,” mentioned López-Alegría throughout a farewell ceremony forward of the crew’s undocking.
These 18 days on the I.S.S. have been spent conducting greater than 30 science experiments whereas in orbit, together with investigations from every of the taking part international locations, together with different analysis companions throughout the globe. All 4 astronauts are additionally the themes of ongoing scientific analysis themselves — information collected earlier than, throughout and after their flight will enhance scientific understanding of the physiological results of spaceflight on the human physique.
Their SpaceX capsule, Freedom, is returning to Earth with greater than 550 kilos of science and provides from the station, together with NASA experiments and {hardware}.
That is the third personal area mission for Axiom Space, which is laying the groundwork for future business operations in low-Earth orbit. NASA plans to retire the Worldwide House Station within the 2030s and hopes business firms will fill the hole for a brand new platform for orbital analysis.
“We see these missions as precursors,” mentioned Axiom president Matt Ondler. The corporate has plans for its personal area station. “We use these missions to actually learn to work with NASA, tips on how to develop analysis packages, and tips on how to develop companions for the long run.”
Axiom didn’t disclose the price of the mission.
The corporate is working intently with one other business spaceflight firm, SpaceX. Axiom has used SpaceX’s crew capsule for every of its missions. That is SpaceX’s twelfth human spaceflight, which incorporates each business and NASA missions.
SpaceX is getting ready for its subsequent human spaceflight to the I.S.S. later this month — a NASA mission carrying three U.S. astronauts and one Russian cosmonaut to the area station for a six-month keep. The Crew-8 mission is presently focusing on a launch no sooner than February 22.
