SpaceX to launch four Axiom Space astronauts to the ISS on Ja

SpaceX is targeting the launch of Axiom Space's Ax-3 mission in the early hours of January 19. The liftoff is scheduled at 3:19 am IST from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on the Falcon 9 rocket.

The mission was initially scheduled to launch on January 18 but was postponed to provide team additional time "to complete pre-launch checkouts and data analysis." In case the mission gets delayed, a backup opportunity will be available on January 21 at 2:30 am IST.

SpaceX says that the Dragon spacecraft being used for Ax-3 has previously supported two crewed missions – Crew-4 in April 2022 and Ax-2 in May 2023.

As part of Ax-3, four astronauts will launch to the International Space Station and spend 14 days while conducting more than 30 science experiments aboard the orbiting laboratory.

According to Axiom Space, this is the first all-European mission to the ISS. The crew includes former NASA astronauts and Ax-3 Commander Michael López-Alegría (from Spain and the U.S), Ax-3 Pilot Col. Walter Villadei (from Italy), Ax-3 mission specialist Marcus Wandt (Swedish national and a European Space Agency reserve astronaut) and another mission specialist Alper Gezeravcı, who will script history as the first astronaut from Türkiye.

Where to watch the mission live?

You can watch the mission lift off live at Axiom Space's official YouTube channel and its website. You can also tune in to SpaceX's social media profile on X for the livestream or visit NASA's YouTube channel.

The webcast will begin about 2 hours prior to the launch on SpaceX's X profile whereas NASA's livestream will start at 2:15 am. Axiom Space, on the other hand, will start the livestream at 1:10 am.