(Photo: 123RF)
A SpaceX rocket blasted off to the International Space Station (ISS) on Thursday to carry four passengers, including a Swede, an Italian and the first Turk to fly into space, in the third private mission of its kind.
The launch took place as planned at 4:49 p.m. (local time) from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The mission, named Axiom Mission 3 (Ax-3), is the third organized by the American company Axiom Space.
The passengers, who have been training for months, are expected to spend about two weeks on the International Space Station, where they are scheduled to arrive on Saturday. They then want to carry out a series of scientific experiments there.
After empowering high-net-worth clients to realize their space dreams, Axiom Space is now accepting individuals sponsored by national agencies.
This mission thus demonstrates the growing role of the private sector in supporting the space ambitions of countries that do not have their own human spaceflight program.
“Symbol”
The Ax-2 mission had already enabled two Saudis supported by their government to remain on the ISS.
This time, among the crew members was Alper Gezeravci, a fighter pilot who was the first Turk to cross the final border.
“We see this mission as a symbol of an increasingly powerful and confident Turkey,” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said this week, wishing Colonel Gezeravci “good luck.”
Also on board is the Swede Marcus Wandt, who is supported by the European Space Agency (ESA).
His role as a “project astronaut” at ESA allows him to take part in short-term missions on a fixed-term contract, unlike full-time astronauts, the European agency said.
“I would like to thank ESA for being brave and visionary and leading the way together with Sweden and Axiom Space to strengthen Europe's presence in space,” wrote Marcus Wandt on Twitter.
The crew is completed by the Italian Walter Villadei, a member of his country's air force. The man once flew aboard a Virgin Galactic ship, but the space flight lasted only a few minutes.
Finally, Spanish-American Michael Lopez-Alegria, former NASA astronaut, will be the mission commander employed by Axiom Space to support the three customers.
Future private resort
They will join seven people already aboard the flying laboratory: two American astronauts, a Dane, a Japanese and three Russian cosmonauts.
The details of the various contracts, including the prices paid to Axiom Space for each seat, are not disclosed.
These private missions are conducted in collaboration with NASA, which bills Axiom Space for use of the station.
For the company, these missions are a first step before building its own space station.
A NASA-sponsored program that plans to decommission the ISS around 2030 and then send its astronauts to private stations.