NASA Updates Media on Next Private Astronaut Mission to Space Station

NASA experts will join a virtual press conference hosted by Axiom Space at 12 p.m. EDT Thursday, April 6, to preview the launch of Axiom Mission 2 (Ax-2), the second private astronaut mission to the International Space Station. The Ax-2 launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft is targeted for early May from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

During the mission, which includes 10 days aboard the space station, the four-person multi-national crew will complete more than 20 research experiments developed for microgravity in collaboration with organizations across the globe.

This press conference will be held virtually. Media must register for the mission overview press conference by 1 p.m., Wednesday, April 5, at:

http://bit.ly/3KpbpqL

Briefing participants are:

Joel Montalbano, manager, International Space Station Program, NASA
Angela Hart, Commercial Low-Earth Orbit Development Program manager, NASA
Michael Suffredini, CEO and president, Axiom Space
Peggy Whitson, Ax-2 commander, Axiom Space
Mishaal Ashemimry, microgravity research lead, Saudi Space Agency
Sarah Walker, director of Dragon Mission Management, SpaceX
Axiom Space astronauts Peggy Whitson, John Shoffner, Ali Alqarni, and Rayyanah Barnawi are prime crew members of the Ax-2 mission. Whitson, a former NASA astronaut, will serve as the mission commander. Shoffner of Knoxville, Tennessee, will serve as pilot. Alqarni and Barnawi, representing the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, will be mission specialists.

NASA continues to make rapid progress in its efforts to build a robust low-Earth orbit economy. The agency recently announced its selection of Axiom Space for the third private astronaut mission to the space station. NASA’s commercial partners are also maturing designs to develop commercial space stations in low-Earth orbit.