posted 04-10-2022 06:38 PM
Assuming you count MLA as a Spaniard, you get a crew of four different nationalities; Canada, Israel, Spain and USA. At the ISS you can add crewmates from two other countries; Germany and Russia. This adds up to a grand total of six nationalities on one spacecraft.
Is this the largest number of nationalities on one crew in history? Thank you!
CMD_OVRD Member
Posts: 73 From: Dallas, TX Registered: Jul 2009
posted 04-15-2022 11:07 AM
I’m actually kind of surprised by the lack of information coming out from this mission. I’ve only seen one photo of the crew on the ISS and that was posted by NASA. The crew did one short TV transmission from the Dragon on day two and we saw the NASA provided video of docking and hatch opening. Lopez-Algeria posted one short clip to his Instagram. As far as I know, that’s it except for the bland Axiom provided daily updates.
This follows a similar stance taken by the Inspiration 4 crew and SpaceX. Maybe I’m missing something or maybe these companies are under some agreement with Netflix or another streaming service. I, for one, would think they’d want maximum exposure from these flights.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 51138 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 04-15-2022 11:45 AM
The primary constraining factor is bandwidth.
Axiom has to pay NASA for use of the TDRS system to communicate with the ground, though the crew has also used an IP-based protocol to talk with students and media in each of their respective countries. Michael Lopez-Alegria even led a board meeting from space.
posted 04-15-2022 11:54 AM
Thanks Robert. I knew there had to be a better explanation.
Aeropix Member
Posts: 62 From: Dubai Registered: Apr 2010
posted 04-16-2022 06:09 AM
As to the lack of comms from the mission, I seem to remember the same thing from the inspiration 4 mission. Maybe SpaceX is protesting the high cost of TDRS? Maybe this situation will improve with Starlink?
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 51138 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 04-16-2022 09:00 AM
Axiom (and Inspiration 4) chose what services they desired for their mission.
The available bandwidth on the International Space Station is prioritized for keeping the complex operating and conducting the science aboard. A certain percentage is set aside for video downlinks and outreach activities.
SpaceX is planning to test using Starlink to relay communications during the Polaris Dawn mission later this year. That said, the available bandwidth on Inspiration 4 wasn't the sole reason why broadcasts were limited. Having recently spoken with Jared Isaacman, he was not aware that people on the ground thought there wasn't enough outreach and was surprised to learn of such after he returned to Earth.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 51138 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 04-18-2022 04:27 PM
From the International Space Station program (via Twitter):
Due to unfavorable weather, the undocking of Axiom Mission 1 (Ax-1) has been postponed. Weather permitting, the four-member private astronaut crew is now targeted to undock at about 10 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, April 19.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 51138 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 04-19-2022 01:56 PM
From Axiom Space (via Twitter):
Due to unfavorable weather conditions, we are waving off tonight's undocking of the Ax-1 mission from the International Space Station. The integrated Axiom Space, NASA and SpaceX teams are assessing the next best opportunity for the return of Ax-1, the first all-private mission to the ISS.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 51138 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 04-20-2022 09:15 PM
From Axiom Space (via Twitter):
The teams at Axiom Space, NASA and SpaceX plan for the Ax-1 crew to undock from the space station on Saturday, April 23 at 8:35 p.m. EDT and are targeting splashdown on Sunday, April 24 at 1:46 p.m. EDT.
Headshot Member
Posts: 1242 From: Vancouver, WA, USA Registered: Feb 2012
posted 04-22-2022 09:42 AM
So who foots the bill for the extra time the Axiom crew spends aboard the ISS and all the extra consumables they consume?
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 51138 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 04-22-2022 10:01 AM
This question came up earlier this week and Brendan Byrne, an NPR contributor, was told by Axiom:
The agreement between NASA and Axiom allowed for the possibility of extra days.
That doesn't really answer the question and there was speculation that Axiom does have to compensate NASA per the agency's published fees, but whether that cost is then passed along to its customers is unknown.
perineau Member
Posts: 379 From: FRANCE Registered: Jul 2007
posted 04-22-2022 01:32 PM
Two landings and one launch in 6 days — I hope SpaceX is up to the task!
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 51138 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 04-23-2022 10:50 AM
From Kathy Lueders, Associate Administrator of the Space Operations Mission Directorate (via Twitter):
We now are targeting 8:55 p.m. EDT Sunday, April 24, for Ax-1 undocking from the space station due to high winds at the splashdown site. Ax-1 splashdown is about 1 p.m. Monday, April 25.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 51138 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 04-23-2022 09:48 PM
quote:Originally posted by Robert Pearlman: ...speculation that Axiom does have to compensate NASA
Per reporting by CNN, there are no extra fees for the extra days:
But the extra days the AX-1 crew spent in space due to weather won't add to their own personal overall price tag, according to a statement from NASA.
"Knowing that International Space Station mission objectives like the recently conducted Russian spacewalk or weather challenges could result in a delayed undock, NASA negotiated the contract with a strategy that does not require reimbursement for additional undock delays," the statement reads.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 51138 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 04-24-2022 07:31 PM
SpaceX video
SpaceX, Axiom Space, and NASA are targeting no earlier than Sunday, April 24 at 9:10 p.m. ET (01:10 UTC Monday, April 25) for Dragon and the Ax-1 astronauts to depart from the International Space Station. After performing a series of burns to move away from the space station, Dragon will conduct multiple orbit-lowering maneuvers, jettison its trunk, and re-enter Earth's atmosphere before landing off the coast of Florida approximately 17 hours later at approximately 1:06 p.m. ET on Monday, April 25.
MSS Member
Posts: 1024 From: Europe Registered: May 2003
posted 04-25-2022 04:21 AM
ISS configuration after SpaceX Axiom-1 departure:
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 51138 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 04-25-2022 10:59 AM
SpaceX video
Dragon will jettison its trunk, and re-enter Earth's atmosphere before landing off the coast of Florida at approximately 1:06 p.m. EDT on Monday, April 25.
SpaceAngel Member
Posts: 448 From: Maryland Registered: May 2010
posted 04-26-2022 12:52 PM
I can imagine Stibbe made Ilan Roman proud within the heart.
oly Member
Posts: 1458 From: Perth, Western Australia Registered: Apr 2015
posted 04-26-2022 07:53 PM
What is the distance from land that the Dragon splashed down?
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 51138 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 04-26-2022 08:32 PM
To my knowledge, SpaceX has not released coordinates for the target or actual landing zones. This graphic, via NASA, is as close I have seen to an indication of where the splashdown areas are in relation to the coast:
oly Member
Posts: 1458 From: Perth, Western Australia Registered: Apr 2015
posted 04-28-2022 05:13 AM
Thanks Robert. I was curious how comfortable SpaceX are with their splash-down predictions after a few missions under their belt.
Aeropix Member
Posts: 62 From: Dubai Registered: Apr 2010
posted 04-29-2022 02:56 AM
quote:Originally posted by oly: I was curious how comfortable SpaceX are with their splash-down predictions
Though I too am curious about the same, especially given how wildly inaccurate the splashdowns from the previous era were, I'm guessing that SpaceX and NASA are a little skittish to publish the data — at least in an easily discoverable way — since the "Trump-Boat" incident on the first mission recovery.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 51138 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 09-29-2023 08:18 PM
Ax-1 pilot Larry Connor, together with the U.S. Air Force Special Warfare Pararescue Specialists, made history on Sept. 28, 2023 with the highest-altitude formation HALO (high altitude, low open) jump ever. They dove from an altitude of 38,000 feet (11,582 meters).
posted 04-10-2022 06:38 PM
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