SpaceX F9 - Axiom Mission 3 - LC-39A

Launch Date: January 18
Launch Window: 5:11PM EST (2:11PM PST, 22:11 UTC)
Launch site: LC-39A, Cape Canaveral, Florida
Booster Recovery: LZ-1
Booster: B1080.5
Dragon: Crew Dragon, C212.3 Freedom
Mass: Crew Dragon: 12,519 kg (27,600 lb)
Orbit: LEO - ISS
Dragon Return - Feb 10
Yearly Launch Number: 6

Crew:
Commander: Michael López-Alegría
Pilot: Walter Villadei
Mission Specialist 1: Alper Gezeravci
Mission Specialist 2: Marcus Wandt

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched a Crew Dragon spacecraft on the program’s 13th flight with astronauts. The commercial mission, managed by Axiom Space, is commanded by former NASA astronaut, Michael López-Alegría. Three passengers, Walter Villadei, Alper Gezeravci and Marcus Wandt, will fly on this two-week commercial mission to the International Space Station. The first stage booster will return to Landing Zone 1 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

Axiom Mission 3 - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Grendal]

 

[Grendal]

 

[ecarfan]

SpaceX delays launch of private Ax-3 astronaut mission to Jan. 18​

The company announced the delay in a post on X (formerly Twitter), noting that the delay "allows teams to complete pre-launch checkouts and data analysis on the vehicle," in this case a Falcon 9 rocket topped with a Crew Dragon spacecraft.

 

[Grendal]

Successful launch, landing, and separation.

 

[HVM]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1748103886198723067

 

[ecarfan]

Love the double booms! Glad to see that so far the mission is norminal.

 

[JB47394]

It seemed to me that they were working the cross-range capability of the booster really hard. Also, if you watch a closeup of the landing, one leg was scary-slow in deploying.

 

[Grendal]

It seemed to me that they were working the cross-range capability of the booster really hard. Also, if you watch a closeup of the landing, one leg was scary-slow in deploying.

I've seen that a number of times. I think it has something to do with the hydraulics. It was only the second successful landing (Jason-3, back in January 2016) where there was a failure due to one of the landing legs failing to lock properly. I think there have been a lot more failures due to grid fin hydraulics than anything else. I think 3 or 4 of those.

 

[Electroman]

That one rickety stuck leg made my heart miss a beat for a second.. I said, "oh oh..". But then it all ended well.

Congrats.

 

[HVM]

Ackchyually those legs actuators are pneumatic.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1748108596330500383

 

[HVM]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1748657250359554445

"Docking confirmed!"

 

[HVM]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1748695881816392095

 

[Grendal]

 

[ecarfan]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1748695881816392095

The Cosmonauts rarely look happy in these ISS group photos. Are they given orders NOT to smile?

 

[JB47394]

The Cosmonauts rarely look happy in these ISS group photos. Are they given orders NOT to smile?

Smiling is a cultural thing, and it's not a big part of Russian culture. It's generally reserved for friends and family, but the Russian cosmonauts smile a bunch when new people arrive at the station.

 

[Grendal]