Four private astronauts are in orbit after the successful launch of Axiom Mission 2 (Ax-2), the second fully private astronaut mission to the International Space Station. Axiom Space astronauts launched from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 5:37 PM ET on Sunday, May 21.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched the company’s Dragon spacecraft into orbit with Ax-2 crew members Commander Peggy Whitson, Pilot John Shoffner and Mission Specialists Ali Alkarni and Rayyana Barnavi to conduct scientific research, outreach and commercial activities in space. station.

“Congratulations to Axiom, SpaceX and the Axiom Mission 2 team for the successful launch! “While on the International Space Station, the Ax-2 astronauts will conduct more than 20 science experiments that will help us better understand cosmic radiation, low-gravity weather and more,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. It is further testament to their commitment to helping them develop and support the growing commercial space economy.”

Beginning at 7:30 am on Monday, May 22, NASA will broadcast the SpaceX Dragon docking, hatch opening, and crew welcome ceremony live on NASA TV, the NASA app, and the agency’s website.

SpaceX Dragon will autonomously dock at the exit port of the station’s Harmony module around 9:16 a.m. Monday, and the hatch will open at around 11:13 a.m. The live broadcast of the mission will end after the welcome ceremony, which will begin around 11:45 PM. It will also be covered on the Axiom Space website.

At the station, the Ax-2 crew will be greeted by members of the Expedition 69 crew, including NASA astronauts Frank Rubio, Steven Bowen and Woody Hoburg, UAE astronaut Sultan Alneyadi, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Dmitry Petelin and Sergey. Prokopyev. and Andriy Fedyaev.

Axiom Space astronauts are expected to leave the space station on May 30, depending on the weather, to return to Earth and land at a landing site on the Florida coast.