Feb 9th, 2024: Axiom Space (in collaboration with SpaceX) has now completed its third mission to and from the International Space Station. Its SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, Freedom, was even the same one flown for the Axiom-2 mission less than one year ago. Like the two missions that came before it, this mission focused on research, investigation of novel technologies, and STEM outreach. The Axiom-3 crew launched on January 20th, 2024 and returned on February 9th, only a few days later than initially planned thanks to some less than ideal weather conditions in Florida, where the capsule splashed down. Axiom-3’s crew featured an all-European set of astronauts: Walter Villadei from Italy, Alper Gezeravci from Turkey, Marcus Wandt from Sweden, and Michael Lopez-Alegria of US and Spain dual-citizenship. Gezeravci broke new ground for his home country, becoming the first Turkish astronaut. Lopez-Alegria was the commander of the first Axiom crewed mission. From Axiom themselves: “this mission marks a new era of opportunity for countries to join the international space community and access low-Earth orbit to advance exploration and research in microgravity.”
