Private astronauts from Axiom Space exit Space Station, carrying over 550 pounds of scientific treasure

The four Axiom Mission 3 astronauts (front row) and the seven Expedition 70 crew members wave to the camera after greeting each other on January 20, 2024. Image Credit: NASA TV

The collaborative efforts of NASA, Axiom Space, and SpaceX have achieved a significant milestone with the successful departure of the Axiom Mission 3 (Ax-3) private astronaut return flight, carrying home scientific findings to advance space exploration and research in microgravity.

The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft carrying Ax-3 crew members left the International Space Station (ISS) on February 7 and is scheduled to land off the coast of Florida on February 9. The two-week mission in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) included science, education, research, and commercial experiments.

The Ax-3 crew, comprising Commander Michael López-Alegría, Pilot Walter Villadei of Italy, Mission Specialist Alper Gezeravcı of Turkey, and ESA project astronaut Marcus Wandt of Sweden, embarked on their journey from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on January 18.

According to NASA website, the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft will bring back over 550 pounds of cargo, including valuable NASA hardware and data from more than 30 experiments conducted during the mission.

During their stay aboard the ISS, the Axiom Space crew joined Expedition 70 crew members, including NASA astronauts Jasmin Moghbeli and Loral O’Hara, ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen, JAXA astronaut Furukawa Satoshi, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Konstantin Borisov, Oleg Kononenko, and Nikolai Chub, fostering international collaboration in space exploration.

The Expedition 70 crew began operations on September 27, 2023, and is engaged in studying a variety of microgravity phenomena to derive benefits humans living on and off the Earth. They will additionally explore subjects such as heart health, cancer treatments, space manufacturing techniques, and more throughout their long-duration stay in Earth's orbit.

NASA's initiative for commercial space exploration

As per NASA, the Ax-3 mission is a part of space agency's initiative to develop a commercial market in Low Earth Orbit, ushering in a new era of space exploration, making it possible for more individuals and groups to participate in various missions. This collaboration widens the scope of human space travel, providing more opportunities for people, scientific activities, and business ventures in low Earth orbit and the International Space Station.