Gorgeous images show Axiom-3 crew over Himalayas on ISS approach

By Trevor Mogg Published January 22, 2024

A SpaceX Crew Dragon approaching the ISS in the Axiom-3 mission. — A SpaceX Crew Dragon approaching the ISS in the Axiom-3 mission. NASA

The first all-European commercial crew to head for the International Space Station (ISS) arrived safely at the orbital outpost on Saturday morning.

The Axiom-3 crewmembers — Marcus Wandt of Sweden; Michael López-Alegría, a dual citizen of the U.S. and Spain; Walter Villadei of Italy; and Alper Gezeravcı of Turkey — launched on Thursday from the Kennedy Space Center aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule powered to orbit by a Falcon 9 rocket.

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Current ISS crewmembers Jasmin Moghbeli and Loral O’Hara recently shared some dramatic imagery showing the Crew Dragon as it approached the space station on Saturday morning.

The clip below, for example, shows the spacecraft as seen from the ISS.

Ax-3’s gorgeous approach to space station, now home to 11 people representing 8 countries! https://t.co/38HbH6jW3Q

— Loral O'Hara (@lunarloral) January 21, 2024

Moghbeli shared four beautiful images also captured from the station, showing the Crew Dragon high above the Himalayas.

#Ax3 has arrived! I’m not sure they could have chosen a more scenic backdrop for their arrival. Excited to welcome @CommanderMLA, @WalterVilladei, @TURKastro, and @astro_marcus on board the @Space_Station! pic.twitter.com/ckqS2VgG10

— Jasmin Moghbeli (@AstroJaws) January 20, 2024

The arrival of the Axiom-3 crew brings the total number of people aboard the ISS to 11. Over the next few weeks, the four new arrivals will conduct more than 30 science experiments and participate in some 50 outreach events with organizations back home.

Axiom-3 is the third commercial mission to the ISS organized by Texas-based Axiom Space with backing from NASA and SpaceX. The first one took place in April 2022.

Villadei, Wandt, and Gezeravcı are believed to have paid tens of millions of dollars for the privilege of spending a couple of weeks in orbit.

Providing opportunities for private citizens to travel to space allows NASA to grow a commercial economy in low-Earth orbit.

Expanding on its commercial efforts, Axiom Space is also aiming to build a commercial space station that could one day replace the ISS when the aging facility is taken out of service about seven years from now.

Contributing Editor

Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…

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SpaceX Crew-9 mission launches to ISS carrying two astronauts

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the company’s Dragon spacecraft is launched on NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 mission to the International Space Station with NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov onboard, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

A SpaceX Crew Dragon craft has launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida carrying two new crew members to the International Space Station (ISS). The launch had been delayed a number of times, most recently due to Hurricane Helene, but lifted off successfully at 1:17 p.m. ET on Saturday, September 28.

The spacecraft, carried by a Falcon 9 rocket and launched from Space Launch Complex-40, carries NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov as members of the Crew-9 mission. It is unusual for a Dragon to launch carrying just two crew members, as it typically carries crews of four. In this case, the spare seats are reserved for the homeward journey of NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams who are currently on the ISS after having traveled there on the first crewed test flight of the Boeing Starliner.

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As Florida braces for the arrival of Tropical Storm Helene, the launch of NASA's Crew-9 mission from the Kennedy Space Center has once again been delayed. The launch of two astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) was originally set for Thursday, September 26, but has now been pushed back to 1:17 p.m. ET Saturday, September 28.

"The change allows teams to complete a rehearsal of launch day activities Tuesday night with the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket, which rolled to Space Launch Complex-40 earlier in the day. Following rehearsal activities, the integrated system will move back to the hangar ahead of any potential storm activity," NASA wrote in an update. "Although Tropical Storm Helene is moving through the Gulf of Mexico and expected to impact the Florida panhandle, the storm system is large enough that high winds and heavy rain are expected in the Cape Canaveral and Merritt Island regions on Florida’s east coast."

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Crew-7's Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft on the launchpad.

[UPDATE: SpaceX has called off Thursday's launch attempt due to an approaching storm. It's now targeting 1:17 p.m. ET on Saturday, September 28.]

SpaceX and NASA are gearing up for the Crew-9 launch that will carry an American astronaut and a Russian cosmonaut to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft.