Updated: February 7, 2023, 1:27 p.m. ET
Axiom Space, NASA, and SpaceX will provide live joint coverage of the undocking and departure of the Axiom Mission 3 (Ax-3) astronauts from the International Space Station (ISS) before the crew returns to Earth.
Coverage of the Ax-3 return will include three separate segments — hatch closure, undocking, and splashdown. All segments will be available at AxiomSpace.com.
Mission teams will monitor weather at the possible splashdown sites prior to undocking to ensure conditions are acceptable for a safe recovery of the spacecraft and Ax-3 astronauts.
Ax-3 crewmembers Commander Michael López-Alegría, Pilot Walter Villadei, and Mission Specialists Alper Gezeravcı and Marcus Wandt will have spent 18 days docked to the ISS and 20 total days of spaceflight once they return to Earth. During their time aboard the space station, the Ax-3 crew conducted a diverse array of over 30 experiments, spanning various fields of biology and technology, and participated in over 50 outreach engagements.
Undocking and departure coverage for Ax-3 is as follows (all times Eastern and subject to change based on operations).
Wednesday, Feb. 7
7:00 a.m. ET – Coverage for hatch closure begins (Axiom Space, NASA)
7:25 a.m. ET – Hatch closure
9:00 a.m. ET – Undocking coverage begins (Axiom Space, NASA, SpaceX)
9:20 a.m. ET – Undocking
Friday, Feb. 9
7:25 a.m. ET – Coverage for splashdown begins (Axiom Space, SpaceX)
8:30 a.m. ET – Splashdown
Follow along for mission updates with #Ax3 on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, Facebook, and on our website.