Axiom Mission 3 Launches to the International Space Station (Official NASA Broadcast)

Axiom Mission 3, set to lift off at 4:49 p.m. EST (2149 UTC) on Thursday, Jan. 18, is Axiom's third private astronaut mission to the International Space Station. Ax-3 is launching from NASA's Kennedy Space Center aboard SpaceX's Dragon Freedom spacecraft.

During their two-week stay aboard the orbiting laboratory, the crew of Ax-3—commander Michael López-Alegría, pilot Walter Villadei of Italy, mission specialist Alper Gezeravcı of Turkey, and ESA (European Space Agency) project astronaut Marcus Wandt of Sweden—will engage in technology demonstrations, student outreach, and experiments ranging from medical research to materials science.

Launch coverage is led by Axiom Space, with support from NASA and SpaceX; NASA's primary mission responsibilities begin during Freedom's approach to the International Space Station, the start of Ax-3 integrated operations.