SpaceX's Private Astronaut Mission to the Space Station Postponed to April 6

 https://thesiliconreview.com/2022/03/spacexs-astronaut-mission-delayed

The first private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, Axiom Mission 1 (Ax-1), is delayed.

The most anticipated and much-awaited first all-private crewed mission to the International Space Station has been delayed. Axiom Space's Ax-1 mission, which was set to launch on April 3 from NASA's Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida, has been pushed to April 6. NASA officially has stated that due to the crucial "wet dress rehearsal" of its Artemis 1 moon mission, the Ax-1 has been delayed.

"NASA, Axiom, and SpaceX are now looking at no earlier than April 6 for the launch of Axiom Mission 1 (Ax-1), the first private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, pending range approval," NASA officials wrote.

It is reported that Ax-1 will be using the latest SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and robust Dragon capsule to send four people to the space station for an eight-day stay. The four people who will travel to the International Space Station are pilot Larry Connor, Mark Pathy, mission specialist, EytanStibbe, mission specialist. The fourth is Axiom employee Michael López-Alegría, a former NASA astronaut commanding the mission.

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Janet Petro Appointed as Director of Kennedy Space Center

NASA administrator Bill Nelson in a recent press meet, has announced that Janet Petro will be replacing Bob Cabana as the new director of the Kennedy Space Center, making her the first-ever woman to lead the center. Petro previously served as the deputy director of Kennedy since 2007, before being named acting director in May.

Petro first began her professional career as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army. She holds a Bachelor of Science in engineering degree from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York. She was in the second class of West Point graduates to include women. Petro also holds a Master of Science in business administration from Boston University's Metropolitan College.

"It's an honor to be selected to lead Kennedy Space Center. Having grown up on Florida's Space Coast and being the second generation in my family to work at Kennedy Space Center, it's exhilarating to help grow the multi-user spaceport as we prepare for Artemis and continue launching commercial crew missions to the International Space Station," Janet Petro said.

 

 

Firefly Aerospace selected SpaceX to launch its first lunar lander mission for NASA

 In a recent announcement, Firefly Aerospace has stated that it has selected SpaceX to launch its first lunar lander mission for NASA. It also has said that it will be using the most renowned SpaceX Falcon 9 to launch its Blue Ghost lunar lander which is on a mission to land in Mare Crisium on the near side of the moon. Falcon 9 will be carrying 10 payloads for NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program.

Besides, Firefly is also developing its own launch vehicle, Alpha, and its first launch is expected in the coming weeks. But the rocket is not powerful enough to take Blue Ghost to the moon. Thereby it the company had to purchase a launch from another launch provider. The company is now working on the lander, including testing the lander on a one-acre simulated lunar landscape at its Briggs, Texas, test site.

The company's lander is developing a spacecraft and orbital tugs for an overall space transportation system and for loading crucial missiles. It is the first contract that validated an end-to-end space transportation paradigm to put forward at Firefly. Blue Ghost has already energized the spacecraft side of the business.