Axiom-1’s groundbreaking launch marks a new era of commercial space exploration

The first entirely private crewed mission to the International Space Station, Axiom-1, is scheduled to launch on Friday, 8 April, at 11:17am Eastern Time from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida using the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. This historic event will be streamed live across multiple platforms, including the SpaceX, Axiom Space, and NASA Live websites.

The livestream coverage is expected to start at 7:55am Eastern Time on SpaceX and Axiom Space’s platforms, with a separate NASA live feed beginning at 10:00am Eastern Time. The four-person crew will travel aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft, a tried-and-tested model that has been facilitating missions to the ISS since 2020.

Although Michael López-Alegría, the mission commander, is a former NASA astronaut and former Axiom vice president, the remaining crew members have no prior spaceflight experience. These include Mark Pathy, an investment banker; Larry Connor, an executive at an education non-profit; and Eytan Stibbe, a former Israeli Air Force veteran and businessman—each contributing $55 million to participate in this private mission.

The crew will spend eight days on the ISS conducting groundbreaking scientific research, including experiments such as testing the effects of tumour growth to advance cancer research, evaluating self-assembling robotics, and trialling a new biodegradable laundry detergent.

This mission is about more than research. Axiom-1 is pivotal for the company’s larger vision: the development of a fully commercial space station to eventually replace the ISS. In 2020, NASA awarded Axiom Space the role of developing the first Commercial Destination module, which will eventually be expanded into a fully operational stand-alone space station. These commercial spaceflight crews are anticipated to play a vital role in this development.

NASA’s strategic plan involves focusing on exploration beyond low Earth orbit, prioritising the Moon, Mars, and other deep-space science missions while transitioning out of operating the ISS by the end of the decade. This makes Axiom-1’s mission not just a technological milestone but a vital step toward sustainable commercial space activities.