2024-01-17 16:51:00
(CNN) — The launch of the Axiom 3 (Ax-3) space mission that would transport private astronauts to the International Space Station, scheduled for Wednesday afternoon, was canceled.
According to a statement from SpaceX, “the target for the launch of the Ax-3 mission to the @space_station is now Thursday, January 18.” The additional time allows teams to complete pre-launch checks and data analysis on the vehicle.
The mission was scheduled to lift off at 05:17 pm Miami time aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from the Kennedy Space Center.
Late Tuesday, mission officials said they were “on track” for Wednesday’s launch, but would complete a final review of launch readiness this morning.
They also noted that in recent days they had done some work to fix problems with the parachute straps for the return to Earth and the connection between the booster rocket and the capsule, but they gave no reason for canceling Wednesday’s launch.
Thursday afternoon launch is scheduled for 04:49 pm Miami time.
Axiom Space describes this mission as the “first mission of European commercial astronauts to the International Space Station”, and includes the mission commander, the Spanish-American Michael López-Alegría, the pilot, the Italian Walter Villadei, along with the specialists from the Marcus Wandt mission from Sweden and Alper Gezeravcı from Turkey.
Gezeravci will become the first Turkish astronaut, according to Axiom Space.
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