What are the specific goals of the Ax-2 mission?
SpaceX Rocket ‘Go’ To Launch Four Private Astronauts on Ax-2, A Mission Filled With 1sts, Today
SpaceX is set to launch its first-ever crew of private astronauts today, marking a giant leap forward in commercial space travel. Today’s Ax-2 mission is filled with many firsts for the company, including the first all-civilian crew to launch on a spacecraft, and the first such crew to conduct an extended stay in orbit.
The Crew
- The crew of four includes leading businessman Jared Isaacman, physician assistant Hayley Arceneaux, geoscientist and former NASA astronaut candidate Dr. Sian Proctor, and Christopher Sembroski, a Lockheed Martin engineer.
- None of these individuals are trained astronauts, yet the team has been diligently preparing for months, with rigorous training and simulations to prepare for the trip ahead.
The Mission
- The Ax-2 mission is planned to take off today, Wednesday, September 15, at 8:02 PM EST (0002 GMT Thursday) from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
- It is set to last for three days and orbit Earth at an altitude of up to 540 km, providing unprecedented views of the planet and investigating the effects of microgravity on the human body.
- The mission will also serve as a fundraiser for St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, with Isaacman pledging to donate $100 million to the hospital, while also attempting to raise an additional $100 million in donations from the public.
The Launch
- The Crew Dragon spacecraft, atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, will launch from Kennedy Space Center’s historical Launch Pad 39A, which has been the site of many notable launches, including the first moon landing mission in 1969.
- The mission is currently on track for liftoff, and weather conditions are favorable, with a 70% chance of favorable conditions at launch time.
Today’s Ax-2 mission is a significant milestone for SpaceX and for commercial space travel as a whole. We wish the crew a safe and successful journey and look forward to the continued advancements in space exploration and technology.