Axiom Space facts for kids
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| Private incorporated company | |
| Industry | Aerospace |
| Founded | 2016 |
| Founder | Michael T. Suffredini Kam Ghaffarian |
| Headquarters |
Houston, Texas,
United States |
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Key people
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| Services |
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Number of employees
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790 (2023) |
Axiom Space is an American company that builds things for space. It is based in Houston, Texas. The company started in 2016. Its goal is to create a new space station. They also help people travel to space.
Axiom Space first sent people to space in 2022. This was Axiom Mission 1. It was the first time a private crew flew to the International Space Station (ISS). The company plans to have its own space station by the late 2020s. Many former NASA astronauts work for Axiom Space. These include Michael Lopez-Alegria and Peggy Whitson.
The company helps both governments and private citizens go to space. They also support research and making things in space.
Contents
How Axiom Space Started
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Michael T. Suffredini used to manage the International Space Station for NASA. He did this from 2005 to 2015. After leaving NASA, he and Kam Ghaffarian started Axiom Space. They wanted to work in the growing field of private space travel. Kam Ghaffarian is an engineer and business owner. He sold his company, Stinger Ghaffarian Technologies, to KBR in 2018. He is also the leader of Quantum Space.
NASA chose Axiom Space to add the first private module to the ISS. In March 2020, Axiom Space also made a deal with SpaceX. This deal was to fly private astronauts to the ISS. They used a Falcon 9 rocket and a Crew Dragon spacecraft. The first flight happened on April 8, 2022. The crew came back on April 25.
By February 2021, Axiom Space had 110 employees. They had offices in Houston and Los Angeles.
Axiom's Work with NASA
In 2020, NASA gave Axiom Space a contract worth $140 million. This was to build at least one living module to attach to the ISS. Axiom Space was the only company chosen for this project.
The modules built by Axiom Space are designed to offer services in low Earth orbit. This is the area of space closest to Earth. In 2020, the "Axiom Segment" of the station was planned to have several parts. These included a connector module, a research area, a place for the crew to live, and a module with large windows.
In December 2024, Axiom Space changed its plans. Now, only the first module, called the Payload Power Thermal Module (PPTM), will connect to the ISS. This module will then separate in 2028. It will then join with another module, Habitat One (Hab-1), in its own orbit.
Axiom Station: A New Home in Space
Axiom Space plans to build and run its own space station. It will be called Axiom Station. This will happen before the ISS is retired in 2030. Axiom Space plans to launch the modules one by one. The first module, PPTM, is planned to launch in 2027. The full station should be ready by the late 2020s or early 2030s.
After the second module, Hab-1, launches, the PPTM will leave the ISS. It will then connect with Hab-1. At that point, Axiom Station will fly on its own. As of December 2024, five modules are planned for Axiom Station.
Axiom Space will train commercial astronauts for its station. It will host governments and other companies. The first module is expected to connect to one of the ISS ports. The Canadarm2, a robotic arm from the ISS, might even work on Axiom Station later.
The inside of Axiom Station was designed in 2018. A French architect named Philippe Starck created the design. Pictures show a room with soft walls and many lights that change color. Axiom Space wants to have at least one astronaut living on the station all the time. This astronaut would do research and fix things. The station will also have fast Wi-Fi, video screens, and windows. There will even be a glass dome for amazing views of Earth.
Space Travel for Everyone
Axiom Space offers human spaceflight services. They work with people, companies, and space agencies. Axiom Space offers missions to the International Space Station. A 10-day mission includes 15 weeks of training.
The mission packages include many things. They cover planning the mission, developing equipment, and providing food and medical help. They also handle safety checks, operations in space, and managing the mission. Missions can last longer depending on what the space travelers want to do. Former NASA astronauts Peggy Whitson and Michael López-Alegría work for Axiom Space. They lead these missions.
In June 2020, NASA said it was involved in filming a movie with Tom Cruise on the ISS. SpaceX was expected to provide the transportation for these flights.
Research and Manufacturing in Space
Axiom Space wants to make money from research and development in microgravity. Microgravity is the feeling of weightlessness in space. They use the ISS National Lab for this until their own modules are ready.
Axiom Space Missions
In early June 2021, Axiom Space made a deal with SpaceX for three more crewed flights to the ISS. This made a total of four flights.
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Ax-1
Axiom Mission 1 was the first private crew mission to the ISS. It launched on April 8, 2022. The crew returned on April 25, 2022. This mission carried four people to the ISS. Michael López-Alegría was the Axiom professional astronaut. Eytan Stibbe did educational experiments. Larry Connor and Mark Pathy were also on board.
Ax-2
Ax-2 was a private crew mission to the ISS. It launched on May 21, 2023. Four people flew to the ISS on this mission. Axiom Space announced on May 25, 2021, that former NASA Astronaut Peggy Whitson would lead the mission. John Shoffner was the pilot. Two astronauts from Saudi Arabia, Ali Alqarni and Rayyanah Barnawi, were also on board.
Ax-3
Ax-3 was another private crew mission to the ISS. It launched on January 18, 2024. Four people went to the ISS. Former NASA Astronaut Michael López-Alegría was the mission commander. Walter Villadei was the pilot. Two astronauts from Turkey and Sweden, Alper Gezeravcı and Marcus Wandt, were also on board.
Ax-4
Ax-4 is a private crew mission to the ISS. It launched on June 25, 2025. Four people flew to the ISS. Veteran Axiom astronaut, Commander Peggy Whitson, was on board. The crew also included Indian mission pilot Shubhanshu Shukla. Mission specialists Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski from Poland and Tibor Kapu from Hungary were also part of the crew.
Ax-5
Ax-5 is a planned private crew mission to the ISS. It is expected to launch no earlier than May 2026.
Axiom Mission Control Center
In January 2022, the Axiom Space Mission Control Center (MCC-A) started its first science operations on the ISS. MCC-A is located at Axiom's main office in Houston, Texas. In April 2022, MCC-A supported many science operations for Axiom's Ax-1 mission. This was the first all-private mission to the ISS.
In late 2022, Axiom's MCC-A became a certified ISS partner Mission Control Center. This means it is connected to NASA's ISS program. In May 2023, Axiom Space flew its second mission to the ISS, Ax-2. The Axiom Space flight control team fully supported this mission from MCC-A.
Space Flights by Axiom Space
Orbital Flights
| Mission | Launch date (UTC) | Landing date (UTC) | Crew | Duration | Vehicle | Remarks | Outcome |
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| Axiom Mission 1 | 8 April 2022 | 25 April 2022 |
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17 days | Crew Dragon Endeavour | First Crew Dragon flight for Axiom Space. It was the first fully private flight to the ISS. | Success |
| Axiom Mission 2 | 21 May 2023 | 31 May 2023 |
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10 days | Crew Dragon Freedom | Second Crew Dragon flight for Axiom Space. It was the second fully private flight to the ISS. | Success |
| Axiom Mission 3 | 18 January 2024 | 9 February 2024 |
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21 days | Crew Dragon Freedom | Third Crew Dragon flight for Axiom Space. The astronauts were military pilots from Italy, Turkey, and Sweden. | Success |
| Axiom Mission 4 | 25 June 2025 | 15 July 2025 |  Peggy Whitson Shubhanshu Shukla Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski Tibor Kapu |
58 days | Crew Dragon Grace | Fourth Crew Dragon flight for Axiom Space. | Success |
Suborbital Flights
| Mission | Launch date (UTC) | Landing date (UTC) | Crew | Duration | Vehicle | Remarks | Outcome |
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| Galactic 07 | 8 June 2024 | 8 June 2024 |
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10 Minutes | VSS Unity | First SpaceShipTwo flight for Axiom Space. Tuva Atasever was the only Axiom astronaut on board. | Success |
Space Suits for the Future
On June 1, 2022, NASA chose Axiom Space to create new spacesuits. These suits will be used by astronauts outside the International Space Station. They will also be used on the Moon for the Artemis program missions. These suits will help prepare for human missions to Mars.
Working with Other Countries
On June 25, 2025, Axiom Space and India's Skyroot Aerospace agreed to work together. They want to make it easier to reach low-Earth orbit. The two companies will look into combining their space technologies. This will help with future missions to Axiom Station and beyond.
They plan to build space infrastructure together. This partnership aims to create new ways to send research items and data centers into orbit. It will also help with future commercial missions. This will connect Skyroot's planned Vikram-1 launch ability with Axiom's new space station.
See also
In Spanish: Axiom Space para niños
- Commercialization of space
- Private spaceflight
