Axiom Space will hold a virtual media roundtable with the astronauts of Axiom Mission 3 (Ax-3), the first all-European commercial astronaut mission to the International Space Station (ISS). The roundtable will give the Ax-3 crew an opportunity to highlight their experiences leading up to the mission, discuss their preparedness, and explain the mission objectives; this will be the first opportunity for reporters to engage with the full Ax-3 crew.
In an historic venture, three countries – Italy, Türkiye, and Sweden through the European Space Agency (ESA) – have united for Ax-3. Axiom Space’s Chief Astronaut Michael López-Alegría (dual citizen of the U.S. and Spain), former NASA astronaut and Axiom Mission 1 commander, will serve as the Ax-3 commander. Italian Air Force Col. Walter Villadei will serve as pilot. The two mission specialists are Alper Gezeravcı of Türkiye and European Space Agency (ESA) project astronaut Marcus Wandt of Sweden.
As part of Ax-3, Türkiye is sending its first astronaut to space in a larger effort to expand the nation’s space exploration capabilities and establish a national human spaceflight program. Ax-3 will also be the first commercial spaceflight mission for an ESA-sponsored astronaut. For Italy, the Ax-3 mission represents a whole-of-country effort to foster its endeavor for safe, secure, and effective access to space.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the Ax-3 crew aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft to the ISS from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida no earlier than January 2024. Once docked, the Ax-3 astronauts plan to spend up to 14 days on board implementing a full mission comprised of microgravity research, educational outreach, and commercial activities.
Ax-3 Crew Media Roundtable
Monday, October 16 at 9:00am CT
Participants include:
Michael López-Alegría, Ax-3 Commander, Axiom Space, U.S. and Spain
Walter Villadei, Ax-3 Pilot, Italy
Alper Gezeravcı, Ax-3 Mission Specialist, Türkiye
Marcus Wandt, Ax-3 Mission Specialist, ESA/Sweden
Media must register to participate and RSVP by 12:00pm CT on October 13. After registering, media will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the virtual roundtable.
Register here for the Ax-3 media roundtable: https://axiomspace.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_uj8-ZE2GSIWh1tVPUY1VTg
Follow along for mission updates with #Ax3 on X, Instagram, and Facebook, and on our website.