WG3K   > ANS      23.06.25 23:45z 31 Lines 1513 Bytes #191 (0) @ AMSAT
BID : ANS173.6
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Subj: SpaceX to Launch Fourth Commercial Axiom Mission to the Spac
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Sent: 250623/2341Z 19050@WG3K.#SMD.MD.USA.NOAM LinBPQ6.0.24


Axiom Space is on verge of its fourth private astronaut mission to space in
as many years. The flight, dubbed Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), will see the
astronauts from India, Poland and Hungary reach the International Space
Station (ISS) for the first time.

The four crew members, led by Axiom Spaceâ€Ös Director of Human Spaceflight,
Peggy Whitson, will embark on a roughly two-week mission to the orbiting
outpost. The quartet will launch onboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from
NASAâ€Ös Kennedy Space Center, but the launch was delayed due to a variety of
issues, including an air leak on the ISS, weather, and a possible issue
with the Falcon 9 booster rocket.

SpaceX had also said on Sunday, June 15, it was reviewing data from a
static test firing that took place that day, suggesting there was perhaps
an undisclosed technical problem. The mission was previously delayed from
late May because the missionâ€Ös brand new Crew Dragon spacecraft was not
ready.

The mission, dubbed Axiom Mission 4 or Ax-4, features the debut of the Crew
Dragon spacecraft, tail number C213. This has been billed by SpaceX as its
fifth and final Dragon capsule. SpaceXâ€Ös long-term goals are to shift its
human spaceflight missions from Dragon to its Starship rocket, which it
said will be capable of ferrying dozens of people into space.

A number of amateur radio contacts are among the tasks that are to be
performed by the Axiom crew during their time aboard the ISS.

[ANS thanks Spaceflight Now for the above information]



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