COMMERCIAL EXPLORATION: SpaceX Ax-2 Private Astronaut Mission is 'Go' for May 21

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Axiom Space Ax-2 private spaceflight: Live updates

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SpaceX Ax-2 private astronaut mission is 'go' for May 21 launch

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SpaceX launch of Ax-2 private astronaut mission now targeted for May 21

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SpaceX won't launch next private astronaut crew for Axiom Space in early May after all

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Axiom Space Ax-2 private spaceflight with SpaceX: Live updates

By Brett Tingley

 published about 1 hour ago

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Axiom Space's upcoming Ax-2 mission will be the second-ever private astronaut mission to the International Space Station (ISS). 

The mission is scheduled to launch no earlier than 5:37 p.m. EDT (2137 GMT) on Sunday, May 23 from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Flying to the space station will be two members of Saudi Arabia's first astronaut class, Rayyanah Barnawi and Ali AlQarni. Barnawi will become the first Saudi woman in space. 

Also riding along will be record-setting former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson who will serve as commander and John Shoffner, a paying customer who will serve as Ax-2's pilot.

The four crewmates will travel to and from the International Space Station in a SpaceX Dragon capsule named Freedom.

Ax-2 Crew|Axiom Space|International Space Station

Brett Tingley

Editor

Brett is a science and technology journalist who is curious about emerging concepts in spaceflight and aerospace, alternative launch concepts, anti-satellite technologies, and uncrewed systems.

 

08:16:20

AXIOM SPACE 'GO' FOR AX-2 LAUNCH ON MAY 21

In a Flight Readiness Review (FRR) conference held Wednesday (May 15), mission managers from NASA, SpaceX, and Axiom Space said the upcoming Ax-2 mission to the International Space Station (ISS) is currently on track to launch as scheduled at 5:37 p.m. EDT (2137 GMT) on Sunday, May 21. 

"Today we had a review where we brought together members of the team from Axiom Space, SpaceX and NASA to talk about the upcoming mission, and at the end of that review, the full team polled 'go,'" said Ken Bowersox, associate administrator for NASA's Space Operations Mission Directorate.

The mission will be the second-ever all-private mission to the International Space Station. The first, Ax-1, launched in April 2022 atop a SpaceX rocket and saw four private astronauts spend more than two weeks aboard the ISS.

Read more: SpaceX to launch 1st Saudi woman to space on private Ax-2 mission