Axiom Mission 1 (Ax-1), the first all-private mission to the ISS launched from NASA’s historic Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A on April 8, 2022 on a SpaceX Dragon and Falcon 9.
Relive some of our favorite moments below. Check out more imagery on our Giphy, YouTube, and Flickr libraries. Tell us which is your favorite part of the Ax-1 mission on social with the hashtag #Ax1.
Crew Dry Dress
Practice makes perfect. A picture perfect day welcomed the crew of Ax-1 during the dry dress rehearsal.
Crew walkout
The Ax-1 crew is the first set of Axiom astronauts to travel to space. The launch webcast started with this iconic image of the Ax-1 crew walking out of the suit-up room from SpaceX’s Falcon Support building.
Larry Connor Greets SpaceX
Showing off his ninja skills, Larry Connor greets the SpaceX suit technicians known as SpaceX ninjas before traveling up the elevator on Pad 39A. Stibbe cheers him on. The pad ninjas, wearing all black, assist the crew board the Dragon spacecraft.
Crew Ingress
Let’s light this candle! Mark Pathy and Michael Lopez-Alegria, followed by Larry Connor and Eytan Stibbe walk down the crew access arm toward the Dragon spacecraft.
Crew ready for launch
All strapped in and ready to go! The Ax-1 astronauts have boarded the Dragon spacecraft and are ready to launch to the International Space Station for the 10-day mission to space, becoming the first all-private mission to the orbiting laboratory.
Michael López-Alegría & Eytan Stibbe sign off
The crew shares inspirational words ahead of their historic journey. Eytan Stibbe recites key lines from Ithaka by the Greek poet, Constantine Cavafy, “…Arriving there is what you’re destined for. But don’t hurry the journey at all…” While Michael López-Alegría thanks the many teams that made this mission possible.
Liftoff
“Together a new chapter begins. Godspeed Ax1,” said Axiom’s John Rackham on the Ax-1 launch webcast. The Ax-1 mission signals a new era in commercial human spaceflight and the first step in Axiom’s plans of building the first commercial space station.
“Zero-G and we feel fine”
Michael López-Alegría gives a quick report from his commander seat inside the Dragon as the spacecraft enters orbit and the Falcon 9 lands on the SpaceX droneship.
Caramel the Dog in orbit
The Ax-1 crew and their zero gravity indicator, Montreal Children's Hospital mascot Caramel the Dog, acclimate to weightlessness in their first live check-in from orbit on Saturday, April 9, at around 2:30 a.m. ET. The crew, and their mascot, remain full of energy.
Stunning views as Dragon approaches the ISS
Jaw-dropping Earth views surround the Dragon spacecraft carrying the Ax-1 crew as they approach the ISS for docking.
Dragon docks at the ISS
After a journey of almost 21 hours, Axiom Mission 1 (Ax-1) astronauts Michael Lopez-Alegria, Larry Connor, Eytan Stibbe, and Mark Pathy arrived at the International Space Station at 8:29 a.m. EDT Saturday, April 9. The SpaceX Dragon Spacecraft docked to the orbital lab about 260 miles above the Atlantic Ocean.
Welcome Aboard
With the addition of the Ax-1 crew, there are now 11 humans living on the International Space Station. The Expedition 67 astronauts welcomed their new crewmates. Shortly after, Commander MLA conducted a pinning ceremony for the new astronauts, Connor, Stibbe, and Pathy.
For more mission moments, follow our mission updates.