(Right) Ax-3 backup Tuva Atasever, Mission Specialist Alper Gezeravcı, and Mission Specialist Marcus Wandt (Left) at Tsukuba Space Center in Japan.
Astronaut training with international partners is an indispensable component of the preparation required for Axiom Mission 3 (Ax-3), as the crew gears up for their mission to the International Space Station (ISS) in January 2024. Sharing living quarters and collaborative workspaces with NASA astronauts and those from various international partner nations necessitates a deep understanding of the space station's systems and operations.
Both the European Space Agency (ESA) and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) along with the Japan Manned Space Systems Corporation (JAMSS) provided highly specialized training programs to ensure the Ax-3 crew is fully equipped to function seamlessly within the multinational framework of the ISS. This training was pivotal in guaranteeing that the Ax-3 astronauts can effectively and successfully carry out the assigned mission tasks in the ISS modules.
Ax-3 Mission Specialist Alper Gezeravcı and backup Tuva Atasever at ESA training in Cologne, Germany.
ESA’s European Astronaut Centre (EAC), located in Cologne, Germany, hosts astronaut training programs that cover a broad spectrum of subjects essential for ISS operation. These topics include but are not limited to robotics, emergency response procedures, and space science. Collaborating closely with the ESA training team, and with the support of the Aerospace Logistics Technology Engineering Company (ALTEC), the Ax-3 crew completed supplementary training that delved into the intricacies of the Columbus module. This module, Europe's contribution to the ISS, serves as a versatile laboratory for interdisciplinary research conducted in microgravity.
Over at JAXA's Tsukuba Space Center in Japan, the Ax-3 crew engaged in rigorous training sessions with astronaut trainers from JAXA and JAMSS. The focus was to learn how to operate in the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM), known as Kibō. The training regimen encompassed honing technical skills related to space research and acquiring an in-depth understanding of the JEM module's capabilities.