On May 21, 5:37 pm (ET), SpaceX Falcon 9 lifted off from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex. The Crew Dragon spacecraft carrying the four-person AX-2 astronauts separated from the first stage rocket 12 minutes later as they continued their way into space.
On May 22, at 9:16 am (ET), the AX-2 mission, known as "Freedom," docked at the International Space Station (ISS).
The crew, commanded by Peggy Whitson, the director of Human Space Flight at Axiom Space and a former NASA astronaut with a cumulative 665 days in space (a U.S. record), is composed of astronaut John Shoffner and mission specialists Ali Alqarni and Rayyanah Barnawi, who were selected by the Saudi Space Commission.
Once aboard the ISS, the crew will carry out more than 20 experiments on a variety of topics, from life science to in-space manufacturing. However, due to delays in the launch date resulting in a more constrained timetable, the crew had to prioritize some of the planned experiments to be carried out on the ISS.
AX-2 represents the 10th crewed flight launched by SpaceX in less than three years and the second fully private mission to the ISS operated by Axiom Space. The launch of this mission takes place just a little over a year after its predecessor, the AX-1 mission, which was crewed by Michael López-Alegría, Larry Connor, Eytan Stibbe, and Mark Pathy. Sherman & Howard member Skip Smith had a special role in the AX-1 mission as the attorney representing Israeli private astronaut Eytan Stibbe.
Earlier this year, Mr. Smith was invited to attend the Rakia Scientific Conference in Tel Aviv, which highlighted the experiments sent by Israeli scientists and performed in space by Mr. Stibbe. The AX-1 mission, which started as a private commercial mission, quickly became a national effort in Israel and an opportunity to advance space in education, science, art, and much more. Mr. Stibbe, with the help of his fellow crewmates, conducted dozens of experiments aboard the ISS; from launching new zero-gravity antennas to making lenses from pure liquid, taking pictures of lightning storms, testing cancer tissue in zero gravity, and performing artwork.
Axiom Space’s commercial missions demonstrate not only that the private sector can execute successful missions to space; it also inspires many by providing a glance into the future of the industry, which continues to roar forward full steam ahead.
The success of the AX-2 launch is yet another step in the commercialization and democratization of space, which provides opportunities to nations with a more recent space history to take on new challenges and put their people and science on the map.
It will be exciting to see the impact AX-2 will have on the country and people of Saudi Arabia, with the hope that it will inspire more to get involved in the ever-growing space industry. Next up - AX-3!
SpaceX launches second Axiom Space private astronaut mission to ISS.
The astronauts will carry out more than 20 experiments in topics ranging from life sciences to in-space manufacturing. Axiom has its own technology demonstrations as well to support its plans to develop commercial modules it will add to the ISS as a precursor for a standalone space station.
