Axiom Space – Spaceflight Now

Commercial crew blasts off on privately-funded space station research mission

June 25, 2025 William Harwood

Strapped into a new SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule making its maiden flight, Whitson, test pilot Shubhanshu Shukla of India, European Space Agency astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski of Poland, and Hungarian engineer Tibor Kapu roared away from pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center at 2:31 a.m. EDT.

SpaceX to debut its fifth and final Crew Dragon spacecraft on Axiom Mission 4

June 10, 2025 Will Robinson-Smith

The introduction of C213 comes years after the other four Cargo Dragon spacecraft currently in service. Ax-4 will be the third human spaceflight mission for SpaceX in 2025.

Launch preview: SpaceX to launch fourth commercial Axiom mission to the space station

June 9, 2025 Will Robinson-Smith

The mission will the fifth flight to space for Peggy Whitson, the American with the most spaceflight experience in history. Liftoff on Wednesday, June 25 is set for 2:31 a.m. EDT (0631 UTC) from Launch Complex 39A.

Axiom Mission 4 delayed due to Dragon capsule readiness

May 14, 2025 Will Robinson-Smith

The capsule flying the Ax-4 mission was originally set to launch in support of the Crew-10 mission to the ISS, which launched in mid-March.

Axiom Space’s Chief Revenue Officer tapped as new CEO

April 25, 2025 Will Robinson-Smith

The announcement comes nearly nine months after Axiom Space’s previous CEO, Mike Suffredini stepped down from the position “for personal reasons.” The company’s Executive Chairman and co-founder, Kim Ghaffarian, has been serving as interim-CEO since early August.

Axiom Space’s fourth private astronaut crew named, begins training in Houston

August 5, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

Ax-4 will mark the first time an astronaut from India or Poland visits the International Space Station. The mission will be commanded by former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, making her second trip to the ISS on behalf of Axiom Space.

SpaceX readies Falcon 9 for commercial flight to space station

January 17, 2024 William Harwood

An international four-man crew strapped into a SpaceX capsule atop a Falcon 9 rocket at the Kennedy Space Center Tuesday for a dress-rehearsal countdown. The launch of the privately-funded research mission to the International Space Station has been delayed until Thursday.

Astronauts ready for first, all-European mission to the International Space Station

January 11, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

The mission will be the sixth trip to the orbiting outpost for Ax-3 Commander Michael López-Alegría and the first for the other three crew members. Launch is planned for Wednesday, Jan. 17, at 5:11 p.m. EST (2211 UTC).

First astronaut missions to the Moon since 1972 delayed due to heat shield questions, hardware readiness

January 10, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson announced on Tuesday that Artemis 2 will be delayed until Sept. 2025 and Artemis 3 until Sept. 2026. The additional time is needed both from a hardware readiness perspective as well as to answer outstanding questions about the heat shield.

Private astronaut mission likely first to use SpaceX’s new crew access tower

November 6, 2023 Will Robinson-Smith

A crew access arm was lifted into place at Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral on Monday, as SpaceX races to ready the pad for its first Crew Dragon launch with astronauts as soon as January.