Axiom Space officially announced today that it is partnering with India, through the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Poland, with European Space Agency (ESA) support, and Hungary to send three national astronauts to the space station on Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), the company’s next commercial human spaceflight mission to the orbiting laboratory. The Ax-4 crewmembers arrived in Houston today to begin training with Axiom Space, NASA, and SpaceX.

The crew assigned to Ax-4 includes Commander Peggy Whitson, Mission Pilot Shubhanshu Shukla of India, Mission Specialist Sławosz Uznański of ESA/Poland, and Mission Specialist Tibor Kapu of Hungary. The assigned crewmembers are pending approval to fly to the International Space Station by the Multilateral Crew Operations Panel (MCOP). MCOP decisions are made in consensus by representatives from all five-space station international partners: NASA, ESA, Roscosmos, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, and the Canadian Space Agency.

“Ax-4 represents Axiom Space’s continued efforts to build opportunity for countries to research, innovate, test, and engage with people around the world while in low-Earth orbit,” said Michael Suffredini, CEO of Axiom Space. “This mission broadens horizons for nations with ambitious goals of advancing scientific, technological, and economic pursuits. Our collaboration with ESA for a second time and the inclusion of Hungary and India underscores Axiom Space’s ability to cultivate global partners, expand the scope of exploration, and open up new avenues to grow a global space economy.”

The mission will place significant emphasis on scientific research, technology demonstrations, and the commercialization of space. Additionally, the mission aims to foster cooperation by sharing knowledge, resources, and opportunities with our partners, solidifying these nations as leaders within the growing space community.

“I look forward to commanding my second commercial human spaceflight mission with Axiom Space,” said Peggy Whitson, Ax-4 commander. “With a culturally diverse crew, we are not only advancing scientific knowledge but also fostering international collaboration. Our previous missions set the stage. Axiom Mission 1 was the first all-private mission to the space station, Axiom Mission 2 launched the first Saudi female to space, and Axiom Mission 3 included both the first Turkish astronaut and first ESA astronaut to fly on a commercial space mission. Now, with Ax-4, we ascend even higher, bringing even more nations to low-Earth orbit and expanding humanity’s reach among the stars.”

Ax-4 will launch to the orbiting laboratory aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft from Florida, and the crew is expected to spend up to 14 days on the space station. Of note, Ax-4 will be the second Axiom Space mission to include an ESA astronaut. Marcus Wandt became ESA’s first-ever project astronaut on Ax-3 and the second ESA astronaut of Swedish nationality to travel to the space station. During Ax-4, Axiom Space will continue to build on its partnership with ESA by sending a Polish astronaut to space for the first time in more than 40 years.

Additionally, in July 2022, Axiom Space and the Hungarian government’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to further the Hungarian to Orbit (HUNOR) program, Hungary’s astronaut program, and advance opportunities in space research and technology development. Building on that MOU, in Sept. 2023, Axiom Space signed a spaceflight framework agreement (SFA) with the Ministry to facilitate the launch of a Hungarian astronaut.

Most recently, in July, Axiom Space signed an SFA with ISRO. This is a significant milestone toward India’s goal of mounting a joint ISRO-NASA effort on board the International Space Station.

Source: Axiom Space

Renowned British astronaut Tim Peake joins Axiom Space’s astronaut team as a strategic advisor, with the specific task of supporting the development of and strategy behind a potential all-UK human spaceflight mission with the Houston-based company.

Peake, a celebrated figure in the space community, brings a wealth of experience and expertise to his new advisory role. He will support the team’s strategy to confirm and secure funding for this one-nation space exploration effort. The proposed mission aims to be a groundbreaking, first-of-its-kind venture, showcasing the viability of a commercially sponsored pathway to space for the UK.

"We are thrilled to welcome Tim Peake to Axiom Space,” said Michael Lopéz-Alegría, Axiom Space Chief Astronaut. “His vision and guidance will be invaluable as we work to make this all-UK mission a reality. Partnering with the UK Space Agency on this historic endeavor underscores our collective commitment to redefining access to space, unlocking low-Earth orbit’s true potential for nations and industries around the world."

In October 2023, Axiom Space and the UK Space Agency signed a Memorandum of Understanding to explore the feasibility of a UK-crewed commercial mission. This collaborative effort is designed to be funded through private sponsorships from UK-based companies. And in February, the UK Space Agency announced up to £15 million could be made available for British science and technology to fly to space, should the proposed UK mission progress as planned.

"I am excited to join Axiom Space and contribute to this pioneering effort,” said Peake. “An all-UK mission represents a significant opportunity for our country to establish a strong presence as well as a leadership role in the commercial space sector. I look forward to working with Axiom Space and the UK Space Agency to advance this exciting possibility."

About Tim Peake

Tim Peake is a former European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut and the first British ESA astronaut to visit the International Space Station (ISS). With a distinguished career in space exploration, Peake is a prominent figure in the global space community and an advocate for STEM education and international collaboration in space.

Source: Axiom Space

Axiom Space astronaut and director of human spaceflight Peggy Whitson and NASA astronaut Douglas Wheelock recently stepped inside Axiom Space’s next-generation spacesuit to conduct integrated testing in support of NASA’s Artemis campaign, which is set to return astronauts to the Moon by September 2026. It was the first integrated test bringing Artemis III partners – NASA, SpaceX, and Axiom Space – together to conduct a pressurized simulation, and the first test of its kind since the Apollo era.

NASA and its partners Axiom Space, designer of the Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU) and SpaceX, developer of Starship, the Human Landing System (HLS) for Artemis III, completed a successful, coordinated test using development hardware for SpaceX’s Starship in Hawthorne, California. This was a significant milestone to collect information on how the spacesuit, the lander, and the human element will work together during the Artemis III mission.

“Astronaut feedback is crucially important, helping to inform the engineering teams on any iterative changes needed,” said Russell Ralston, Vice President of Extravehicular Activity (EVA), Axiom Space. “After this test, we’re able to further refine and develop innovative solutions to inform our single architecture design.”

In less than two years, Axiom Space has made substantial progress in suit design and testing. The suit design is beyond the preliminary design review point with NASA and will enter the critical design review phase later this year.

“We’ve conducted many tests with different people, including engineers and astronauts to ensure the suit’s advanced capabilities will enable a wide range of crewmembers to conduct extensive science research during the Artemis III mission to the lunar south pole,” said Ralston.

Active progress and testing of the spacesuit continue. Just a few weeks before this integrated test, Axiom Space completed a successful trial at NASA’s Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL) with an unoccupied, weighted spacesuit to accurately simulate the lunar environment, where gravitational forces are 1/6th of Earth's.

Source: Axiom Space

Axiom Space has partnered with Virgin Galactic to send Axiom Mission 3 (Ax-3) backup and Turkish Space Agency (TUA) astronaut Tuva Atasever on a suborbital flight on June 8 to conduct microgravity research.

Atasever, a 31-year-old engineer, is set to become the second Turkish astronaut in his nation’s history, when he participates in the Galactic 07 flight to expand Türkiye’s endeavors in space. In partnership with TÜBITAK UZAY, the suborbital flight will serve as an opportunity to collect more biomedical data for three research studies that were previously conducted on Ax-3, including studies that could potentially impact future human spaceflight missions. In addition, Axiom Space is sending its own research payload on Galactic 07 to study insulin dose dispensation in microgravity.

“I look forward to continuing Türkiye’s human space exploration efforts on the Galactic 07 flight,” said Atasever. “With seven different scientific investigations that will be conducted in collaboration with national and international partners, we will make important contributions toward space research in Türkiye. I am honored for this opportunity to play a role in my country’s human spaceflight program and inspire younger generations to pursue even more ambitious dreams.”

Axiom Space signed a contract with Türkiye to send its first-ever astronaut, Alper Gezeravcı, to space during Ax-3, which was part of a larger effort to establish the country’s national human spaceflight program. Following the Ax-3 mission, the Galactic 07 flight is the next phase of Axiom Space’s agreement with Türkiye to support its initiatives in space.

“Axiom Space’s commitment to enabling access to space through exclusive spaceflight and research opportunities is exemplified by our partnership with Virgin Galactic,” said Tejpaul Bhatia, chief revenue officer of Axiom Space. “The upcoming Galactic 07 flight underscores how commercial entities and nations like Türkiye can unite to leverage unique opportunities to explore the benefits of microgravity while building a foundation to cultivate a thriving low-Earth orbit economy.”

Atasever will conduct seven experiments as part of the Galactic 07 mission. Three of those will take place in-flight with payloads embedded in his custom-built flight suit. One of the studies will help understand the changes in intracranial pressure and its effect on human visual acuity through a headgear with brain activity monitoring sensors. The second will use a dosimeter to measure Atasever’s ionizing radiation exposure. And finally, Atasever will test insulin pen effectiveness in microgravity by dispensing doses into a collection container within his flight suit.

Atasever will also participate in four human physiology research investigations that will be carried out by Turkish researchers on the ground. This research will help identify epigenetic and immune system responses, metabolic alterations, myeloid-derived suppressor cell behaviors, and extracellular vesicle changes during suborbital spaceflight.

Source: Axiom Space