| 👁 Image Artists' impression of a Crew Dragon approaching the forward port of Harmony on the ISS. | |
| Names | Ax-5 |
|---|---|
| Mission type | Private spaceflight to the ISS |
| Operator | |
| Mission duration | 14–21 days (planned) |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft type | Crew Dragon |
| Manufacturer | SpaceX |
| Crew | |
| Crew size | 4 |
| Members |
|
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | NET January 2027[1] |
| Rocket | Falcon 9 Block 5 |
| Launch site | Kennedy, LC‑39A or Cape Canaveral, SLC‑40 |
| Contractor | SpaceX |
| End of mission | |
| Recovered by | MV Megan or MV Shannon |
| Landing site | Pacific Ocean (planned) |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric orbit |
| Regime | Low Earth orbit |
| Docking with ISS | |
| Docking port | Harmony zenith |
Axiom Space missions | |
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Axiom Mission 5 (or Ax-5) is an upcoming private spaceflight to the International Space Station operated by Axiom Space using a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft. The mission is planned to launch no earlier than January 2027 and last about two weeks.[1]
Mission
[edit]NASA announced on April 2, 2025, they would be seeking bids for two private missions to the ISS.[2] All prior private ISS contracts had been performed by Axiom.[a] Both upcoming missions would spend 14 days at the ISS.[2] On January 30, 2026, NASA announced that Axiom had won one of the two missions for Ax-5, targeted to launch no earlier than January 2027.[1] The other mission was awarded to Vast.[3]
Payload integration will be performed by Voyager Technologies.[4] Ax-5, as with prior missions, will develop the techniques required for Axiom employed private astronauts to dock with their own private space station, the in-development Axiom Station.[4] The funds from the awarded contract, alongside a restructuring of Axiom's debt, will help Axiom continue to finance their Extravehicular Mobility Unit that they are developing for NASA for use on the Moon during Artemis III.[5]
Crew
[edit]The mission will carry a professionally trained commander and three private astronauts.
Argentina has announced María Noel de Castro Campos as its astronaut candidate for a future mission with Axiom Space.[6]
The Czech government had signed a memorandum of understanding with Axiom in 2024 to launch the first Czech astronaut, ESA astronaut Aleš Svoboda, on a future mission as part of the "Czech Journey to Space".[7] A week later the Portuguese government announced that they had signed a similar memorandum, although there is no active Portuguese astronaut in the ESA astronaut corps.[8]
Also in 2024 the British government announced they plan to buy all four seats on an upcoming Axiom mission for astronauts Meganne Christian, Rosemary Coogan, John McFall, and Timothy Peake.[7]
Upon announcement of the mission, Axiom said they would send four different crew proposals to NASA who will select the final crew.[1]
Notes
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c d Dooren, Jennifer M. "NASA Selects Axiom Space for Fifth Private Mission to Space Station". NASA. Retrieved 14 February 2026.
- ^ a b c "NASA Continues Support for Private Astronaut Missions to Space Station". NASA. Retrieved 14 February 2026.
- ^ Doyle, Tiernan P. "NASA Selects Vast for Sixth Private Mission to Space Station". NASA. Retrieved 14 February 2026.
- ^ a b Foust, Jeff. "Axiom wins fifth private astronaut mission to space station". SpaceNews. Retrieved 14 February 2026.
- ^ Egan, John. "Axiom Space wins NASA contract for fifth private mission, lands $350M in financing". innovationmap. Retrieved 14 February 2026.
- ^ "Apoyo al primer vuelo espacial tripulado por una candidata a astronauta argentina". Argentina.gob.ar (in Spanish). 2 July 2025. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
- ^ a b Parsonson, Andrew (6 September 2024). "Czech Government Signs Agreement with Axiom for Astronaut Mission". europeanspaceflight. Retrieved 20 March 2025.
- ^ "Axiom Space, Portuguese Space Agency, and ANI Sign MoU to Ignite Era of Space Innovation at New Space Atlantic Summit". Axiom Space. Retrieved 27 August 2025.