Second Private Astronaut Mission to Space Station Announced

NASA has selected Axiom Space for the second private astronaut mission to the International Space Station. NASA will negotiate with Axiom on a mission order agreement for the Axiom Mission 2 (Ax-2) targeted to launch between fall 2022 and late spring 2023.

"The award, as we near the launch of Ax-1 and build the ISS' commercial successor, further demonstrates Axiom's role as a key partner in the commercialization of low-Earth orbit."

Axiom news release.

Ax-2 will launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for a mission of no more than 14 days docked to the space station. NASA and Axiom will negotiate in-orbit activities for the private astronauts to conduct in coordination with space station crew members and flight controllers on the ground. The Ax-2 mission concept includes scientific research and outreach activities.

NASA and its international partners will review the private astronaut selections proposed by Axiom for the Ax-2 mission, as is standard for any space station crew. The proposed crew members would undergo NASA medical qualification testing to be approved for flight.

NASA evaluated the mission proposal based on Axiom’s ability to execute it successfully, NASA’s ability to support it, and its contribution to the agency’s mission and goal of low-Earth orbit commercialization. This mission is subject to NASA’s updated pricing policy for private astronaut missions, which reflects the full value of costs to the agency that are above space station baseline capabilities.

Progress continues toward NASA and Axiom’s first private astronaut mission to the space station, Axiom Mission 1 (Ax-1), which is scheduled to launch no earlier than Feb. 21, 2022. Axiom’s proposed crew members still are completing final evaluations by NASA and its international partners.

The agency did not make a selection for a third private astronaut mission from its June 2021 research announcement. NASA will gather lessons learned from the first private astronaut flight as well as other applicable station activities and announce a new flight opportunity in the future.

In May, Axiom revealed legendary former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson and John Shoffner, a pilot, champion GT racer, and active supporter of life science research from Knoxville, Tenn., as the Ax-2 commander and pilot, respectively. The Ax-2 mission concept focuses on scientific research and outreach activities.

"The award, as we near the launch of Ax-1 and build the ISS' commercial successor, further demonstrates Axiom's role as a key partner in the commercialization of low-Earth orbit. Axiom's broad human spaceflight expertise and the training, professionalism, and productivity of its historic first two crews will set a standard for all future private astronaut missions to follow. We look forward to further expanding the market for private spaceflight to LEO destinations, which Axiom Station is built to serve," Axiom said in a news release.

(Source: NASA and Axiom Space news releases. NASA image)