Axiom Mission 5
Artists' impression of a Crew Dragon approaching the forward port of Harmony on the ISS. | |
| Names | Ax-5 |
|---|---|
| Mission type | Private spaceflight to the ISS |
| Operator | |
| Mission duration | 14–21 days (planned) |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft type | Crew Dragon |
| Manufacturer | SpaceX |
| Crew | |
| Crew size | 4 |
| Members |
|
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | NET January 2027[1] |
| Rocket | Falcon 9 Block 5 |
| Launch site | Kennedy, LC‑39A or Cape Canaveral, SLC‑40 |
| Contractor | SpaceX |
| End of mission | |
| Recovered by | MV Megan or MV Shannon |
| Landing site | Pacific Ocean (planned) |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric orbit |
| Regime | Low Earth orbit |
| Docking with ISS | |
| Docking port | Harmony zenith |
Axiom Space missions | |
Axiom Mission 5 (or Ax-5) is an upcoming private spaceflight to the International Space Station operated by Axiom Space using a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft. The mission is planned to launch no earlier than January 2027 and last about two weeks.[1]
Mission
NASA announced on April 2, 2025, they would be seeking bids for two private missions to the ISS.[2] All prior private ISS contracts had been performed by Axiom.[a] Both upcoming missions would spend 14 days at the ISS.[2] On January 30, 2026, NASA announced that Axiom had won one of the two missions for Ax-5, targeted to launch no earlier than January 2027.[1] The other mission was awarded to Vast.[3]
Payload integration will be performed by Voyager Technologies.[4] Ax-5, as with prior missions, will develop the techniques required for Axiom employed private astronauts to dock with their own private space station, the in-development Axiom Station.[4] The funds from the awarded contract, alongside a restructuring of Axiom's debt, will help Axiom continue to finance their Extravehicular Mobility Unit that they are developing for NASA for use on the Moon during Artemis III.[5]
Crew
The mission will carry a professionally trained commander and three private astronauts.
Argentina has announced María Noel de Castro Campos as its astronaut candidate for a future mission with Axiom Space.[6]
The Czech government had signed a memorandum of understanding with Axiom in 2024 to launch the first Czech astronaut, ESA astronaut Aleš Svoboda, on a future mission as part of the "Czech Journey to Space".[7] A week later the Portuguese government announced that they had signed a similar memorandum, although there is no active Portuguese astronaut in the ESA astronaut corps.[8]
The British government announced they plan to buy all four seats on an upcoming Axiom mission for astronauts Meganne Christian, Rosemary Coogan, John McFall, and Timothy Peake. Both crew and specific mission are yet to be confirmed.[7]
Upon announcement of the mission, Axiom said they would send four different crew proposals to NASA who will select the final crew.[1]
Notes
References
- ^ a b c d Dooren, Jennifer M. "NASA Selects Axiom Space for Fifth Private Mission to Space Station". NASA. Retrieved 14 February 2026.
- ^ a b c "NASA Continues Support for Private Astronaut Missions to Space Station". NASA. Retrieved 14 February 2026.
- ^ Doyle, Tiernan P. "NASA Selects Vast for Sixth Private Mission to Space Station". NASA. Retrieved 14 February 2026.
- ^ a b Foust, Jeff. "Axiom wins fifth private astronaut mission to space station". SpaceNews. Retrieved 14 February 2026.
- ^ Egan, John. "Axiom Space wins NASA contract for fifth private mission, lands $350M in financing". innovationmap. Retrieved 14 February 2026.
- ^ "Apoyo al primer vuelo espacial tripulado por una candidata a astronauta argentina". Argentina.gob.ar (in Spanish). 2 July 2025. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
- ^ a b Parsonson, Andrew (6 September 2024). "Czech Government Signs Agreement with Axiom for Astronaut Mission". europeanspaceflight. Retrieved 20 March 2025.
- ^ "Axiom Space, Portuguese Space Agency, and ANI Sign MoU to Ignite Era of Space Innovation at New Space Atlantic Summit". Axiom Space. Retrieved 27 August 2025.