Four private astronauts are set to board the International Space Station today after the successful launch of Axiom Mission 2 (Ax-2).
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched the firm's Dragon spacecraft—and crew members Peggy Whitson, John Shoffner, Ali Alqarni, and Rayyanah Barnawi—into orbit on Sunday.
The shuttle docked autonomously with the ISS today just after 9 a.m. ET. The team will enter the station later this morning, followed by a welcome ceremony by Expedition 69 members. This marks the first private space mission to be commanded by a woman and include private astronauts and astronauts representing foreign governments (Barnawi and Alqarni are members of the inaugural Saudi national astronaut program).
Whitson is Axiom's Director of Human Spaceflight and a former NASA astronaut. She previously served as NASA's chief astronaut and the first female commander of the ISS. This trip also counts toward her record for the longest cumulative time in space by a NASA astronaut.
During their 10 days aboard the ISS, the Ax-2 team will carry out scientific research, outreach, and commercial activities—"helping us better understand space radiation, weather in low-gravity conditions, and more," according to NASA Administrator Bill Nelson.
Axiom Space astronauts are expected to depart the ISS on May 30 for a return to Earth and splashdown at a landing site off the coast of Florida.
"This mission is more proof of NASA's commitment to help our industry partners develop the next generation of space technology and [to] support a growing commercial space economy," Nelson said in a statement.