Axiom Space’s third astronaut crew (Ax-3) arrived in style to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center launch site aboard a Tesla Model X vehicle with license plates that read – “L3TS GO” – ahead of liftoff on Thursday, January 18. SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket carried Ax-3 to the International Space Station (ISS) from Launch Complex 39A at 4:49 p.m. Eastern Time. Ax-3 follows the successful Ax-1 mission in April 2022 and Ax-2 in May 2023.

The Crew Dragon spacecraft called “Freedom,” is carrying former NASA astronaut Michael López-Alegría and three astronauts from European governments, including: Italian Air Force officer Walter Villadei who previously flew on a sub-orbital Virgin Galactic flight; Turkish Air Force pilot Alper Gezeravcı, and Swedish Air Force pilot Marcus Wandt. Gezeravcı makes history as the first person from Turkey to fly to space, while Wandt, a former Swedish Air Force pilot, is the second Swedish person in space.

Following the first-stage separation, Falcon 9’s first stage executed a successful landing on Landing Zone 1 (LZ-1) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station – marking SpaceX’s 265th landing of an orbital-class rocket. 

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Crew Dragon Freedom separated from the upper-stage approximately 12 minutes after liftoff. The spacecraft will dock the Space Station on Saturday, January 20, at approximately 4:19 a.m. ET. The Ax-3 crew will perform over 30 scientific experiments in microgravity focusing on human physiology and technological advancements during their two-week stay in the orbiting laboratory.

Ax-3 was SpaceX’s 12th crewes mission and the 6th mission of 2024; It featured the 3rd flight of the Dragon Freedom capsule and the 5th reuse of the Falcon 9 booster, identified as B1080-5, showcasing SpaceX’s commitment to reusable spaceflight technology. 

The successful launch marks another step forward in the collaboration between SpaceX, Axiom Space, and NASA towards the future of commercial space exploration.

Author’s note: Thanks for reading Cosmic Chronicles. Write your thoughts in the comment section below. If you have story suggestions or feedback, Direct Message me on social media 𝕏: Evelyn Janeidy Arevalo @JaneidyEve. Read the most recent stories featured below. Thank You.