First all-European private astronaut mission launches on SpaceX Dragon from Florida
Walter Villadei of the Italian Air Force, Alper Gezeravci of Turkey, and Marcus Wandt of the European Space Agency are the first all-European crew to visit the International Space Station.
SpaceX launches all-European crew to International Space Station
SpaceX launched the Axiom Space mission 3 on Thursday to the International Space Station, marking the first all-European mission to the orbiting lab.
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. – A private astronaut crew from Turkey, Sweden and Italy launched on Thursday evening from Florida, beginning Axiom Space’s third mission to the International Space Station.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched the international astronaut crew from Kennedy Space Center’s historic Launchpad 39A at 4:49 p.m. ET. The launch was delayed from Wednesday.
After successfully dodging showers and clouds around Florida’s Space Coast, the launch began the journey for the first all-European private astronaut crew and Axiom Space Commander Michael López-Alegría to the space station.
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Prior to launching, the Ax-3 crew was quarantined at Kennedy Space Center. After suiting up in the Falcon building with the help of SpaceX's suit technicians known as "ninjas", the crew made their way to Launchpad 39A in black Teslas.
The four-person crew is headed to the space station in SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft where they will spend two weeks working and living in microgravity, alongside the astronauts currently in orbit.
![The Ax-3 crew walk out to get into Teslas and drive to KSC launchpad 39A.]()
Image 1 of 5The Ax-3 crew walk out to get into Teslas and drive to KSC launchpad 39A. (Image: Axiom Space) (Axiom Space)
![(Left) Ax-3 Mission Specialist Marcus Wandt, Pilot Walter Villadei, Commander Michael López-Alegría, Mission Specialist Alper Gezeravcı (Right)]()
Image 2 of 5(Left) Ax-3 Mission Specialist Marcus Wandt, Pilot Walter Villadei, Commander Michael López-Alegría, Mission Specialist Alper Gezeravcı (Right) (Axiom Space)
![A SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule stands on top of the Falcon 9 rocket at Kennedy Space Center's launchpad 39A ahead of the Ax-3 mission.]()
Image 3 of 5A SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule stands on top of the Falcon 9 rocket at Kennedy Space Center's launchpad 39A ahead of the Ax-3 mission. (SpaceX)
![A SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule stands at Kennedy Space Center's launchpad 39A ahead of the Ax-3 mission.]()
Image 4 of 5A SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule stands on top of the Falcon 9 rocket at Kennedy Space Center's launchpad 39A ahead of the Ax-3 mission. (SpaceX)
![A SpaceX Falcon 9 launches the Dragon spacecraft with the Ax-3 private astronauts inside. The mission to the International Space Station is the first all-European mission.]()
Image 5 of 5A SpaceX Falcon 9 launches the Dragon spacecraft with the Ax-3 private astronauts inside. The mission to the International Space Station is the first all-European mission. (Image: SpaceX/Axiom Space) ( )
The Ax-3 mission includes Walter Villadei of the Italian Air Force (ItAF), Alper Gezeravci of Turkey, and Marcus Wandt of the European Space Agency (ESA).
Gezeravci made history with his spaceflight as the first Turkish astronaut to go to space. He was a fighter pilot for the Turkish Air Force and served as a captain with Turkish Airlines. He was most recently the Standardization Squadron Academic Wing Commander in Adana, Turkey.
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While in orbit, the crew will conduct 30 experiments in microgravity. The crew members will work on research from their home countries "of high national importance," according to Axiom Space. The Ax-3 experiment topics include biomedical research, sleep, bone health, space weather and cooking pasta in space.
The Ax-3 mission marks the second with Axiom Space for López-Alegría, the company's chief astronaut, who was formerly a NASA astronaut. He was also the commander on the Axiom SpaceX's inaugural mission to the ISS in April 2022.
With Thursday's liftoff, SpaceX has successfully launched 12 different human spaceflights from Florida since May 2020. The company returned astronaut launches to U.S. soil after a nine-year gap following the end of the space shuttle program.
Axiom Mission 3 has successful launch of crew from Florida
Axiom Mission 3 launched a private crew to the International Space Station.