Photo: Robert Markowitz / EFE
For: EFE Updated 07 Apr 2024, 18: 52 pm EDT
The pre-launch review of the first private manned mission to the International Space Station (ISS) has been a success and everything is ready for liftoff, initially tomorrow, of the Axiom 1 (Ax-1) Mission from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
“We are excited one day after the launch of this historic Ax-1 mission, different from others, with four private citizens on board bound for the ISS“, he said today at a conference Derek Hassmann, COO of Axiom Space.
It was an emotion shared by the Press conference participants: Angela Hart, NASA LEO Commercial Program Manager; Dana Weigel, deputy director of ISS programs, and Benjamin Reed, director of the manned spaceflight program, SpaceX.
They are not space tourists
Hassmann made it clear that these were not space tourists, but an “international crew that will carry out experiments and other activities in orbit” during the expedition of days, of which eight will remain on the ISS.
This is a crew that has received intensive training as astronauts, “ well prepared, in high spirits and ready to leave for the ISS and with great enthusiasm for the launch” tomorrow, Hassman said.
The Ax-1 will be commanded by the former NASA astronaut of Spanish origin Miguel López-Alegría, with extensive experience in four missions before the space.
The other three civilians are the American Larry Connor, who will serve as pilot; the Canadian Mark Pathy and the Israeli Eytan Stibbe, these two as mission specialists during which they will carry out “scientific, outreach and commercial activities”.
Axiom Mission 1 is scheduled to launch on Friday at 15.17 in the morning, local time (15.17 GMT) from Cape Canaveral, on the east coast of Florida.
“Everything is ready for launch”, said Reed, who pointed out that an improvement in weather is expected that will allow, in principle, the takeoff of the Ax -1 and the crew aboard the Dragon and on top of a Falcon 9 rocket, from the private company SpaceX.
Reed and Hassmann stressed that It is convenient to have a “bigger picture” of what this space mission to the ISS entails, not only because of the “ hard training” of the crew, but for their contribution to science and research.
And what is even more important, the value of this totally private mission in the “construction of the next commercial space station” between 2024-2030 and connected to the ISS.
“It is the first of several missions that will continue in the year 2024 that will be able to test our capabilities” to fulfill this objective, added Hassmann, who, however, explained that the “ priority” is “keeping the crew safe and maximizing their experience”.
Dana Weigel insisted on the “intense training” that the crew has received to carry out day-to-day tasks in areas such as video photography, food, movement without gravity and “a high level of training”. I know what to do in case of an emergency”.
A series of tasks in which the crew will be supported at all times by López-Alegría, whose professionalism and experience were highlighted by the experts at the conference.
“We are ready to fly again and safely. It is amazing what we have done in such a short time, everything we have learned” thanks also to the joint work with NASA, said Reed, to highlight the value of the word “transparency” in the project.
In recent statements, the Hispanic-American López-Alegría assured that this was “a adventure” and “a historical moment” of which he felt very proud to be a part.
López-Alegría, born 47 years ago in Spain and raised since childhood in the United States, noted that his return to space after 15 years makes him more anxious than when he worked on space missions for the US space agency.
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