Ax-3 launch and Falcon 9 first stage landing

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched the “Freedom” Crew Dragon spacecraft for Axiom Space’s Axiom Mission 3 (Ax-3) to the International Space Station, from the Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, on 18 January 2024, at 21:49 UTC (16:49 EST). Ax-3 crew includes commander Michael López-Alegría, pilot Walter Villadei, mission specialist Alper Gezeravcı and ESA project astronaut Marcus Wandt. The “Freedom” Crew Dragon is scheduled to dock to the International Space Station on 20 January 2024, at 10:15 UTC (05:15 EST). Following stage separation, Falcon 9’s first stage (B1080) landed on Landing Zone 1 (LZ-1) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, having previously supported four missions: Ax-2, ESA Euclid and two Starlink missions. The “Freedom” Crew Dragon spacecraft previously flew the Crew-4 and the Ax-2 missions. Credit: Axiom Space/NASA/SpaceX Falcon 9 launches Axiom-3 and Falcon 9 landing #CrewDragon #AX3