SpaceX plans to launch a second private mission to the International Space Station today (May 21), and if you want to follow it online, you’ll need to know when it will launch.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will carry four astronauts aboard the Axiom SpaceX-2 mission to the space station from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The 10-day mission was commanded by former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, paying customer John Shofner as pilot and the crew rounded out by Saudi Arabia’s first two astronauts, Ali Alkarni and Rayana Barnawi.
You can follow the launch live through our Ax-2 Mission Updates page and watch the Ax-2 astronaut launch live online. Read on to see what time SpaceX will launch the Ax-2 mission today
What time is the SpaceX Ax-2 astronaut launch?
SpaceX will launch the Ax-2 mission to Axiom space 5:37 PM EDT (2137 GMT) From Pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, the base the agency uses for all of its human space missions.
The launch has an “immediate window,” meaning SpaceX must launch in that time to reach the International Space Station on schedule and cannot keep a countdown. If SpaceX delays for any reason, the company can try again on Monday, May 22 5:14 PM EDT (2114 GMT).
Related: Meet the 4 astronauts of Axiom Space’s Ax-2 mission
Can we watch Ox-2 astronaut launch online?
Yes. NASA, SpaceX, and Axiom Space will host a series of live webcasts for the public to follow the Ax-2 launch live. You can watch the SpaceX Ax-2 launch online on Space.com simulcasts of those webcasts.
SpaceX’s webcast begins 2:10 pm EDT (1810 GMT) and operate through liftoff. You can find it SpaceX’s Ax-2 mission page And YouTube channel. The company will provide an audio-only feed from its launch center in Florida and Mission Control Center in Hawthorne, California.
Axiom Space’s launch webcast begins at the same time and may be a simulcast. It will be broadcast live Axiom’s YouTube channel. Axiom Space also said it will provide Arabic-language live coverage of the launch for viewers in Saudi Arabia.
NASA’s webcast begins 4:30 PM EDT (2030 GMT) and covers the last hour of prelaunch operations and liftoff. It will be broadcast on NASA’s YouTube channel and NASA TV.
How long will SpaceX’s Ax-2 astronaut launch take?
From liftoff to spacecraft separation, the launch of SpaceX’s Ax-2 mission will be short-lived. 13 minutesBut the work itself lasts a long time.
Axiom Space’s Ax-2 will fly astronauts 10 days work They are expected to visit the International Space Station and spend eight of those days actually living and working on the space station, where they will conduct 20 different scientific investigations between other missions and outreach events. It will take 15 hours A Dragon capsule called Freedom to reach the space station Monday, May 22.
SpaceX’s final hours before launch include a series of critical tasks to prepare the rocket for flight. Here’s the schedule SpaceX will follow to achieve liftoff, including fueling the Falcon 9 rocket with its RP-1 rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen (LOX) propellant.
Related: Ax-2 private space mission to grow 1st stem cells in space
| TIME (hr:min:s) | event | Header Cell – Column 2 |
|---|---|---|
| T-00:45:00 | The launch director gives “Go” to the fuel | Row 0 – Cell 2 |
| T-00:42:00 | Dragon launch escape system weapon | Row 1 – Cell 2 |
| T-00:35:00 | RP-1 refueling begins | Row 2 – Cell 2 |
| T-00:35:00 | 1st stage LOX fueling begins | Row 3 – cell 2 |
| T-00:16:00 | 2nd stage LOX fueling begins | Row 4 – cell 2 |
| T-00:7:00 | Falcon 9 engine chilldown | Row 5 – cell 2 |
| T-00:05:00 | Dragon in Inner Power | Row 6 – cell 2 |
| T-00:01:00 | Propellant tank pressure for aircraft | Row 7 – cell 2 |
| T-00:01:00 | Final tests of command flight system | Row 8 – cell 2 |
| T-00:00:45 | To launch the final GO of the Release Director | Row 9 – cell 2 |
| T-00:00:03 | The engine ignition sequence begins | Row 10 – cell 2 |
| T-00:00:00 | Liftoff | Row 11 – cell 2 |
A Falcon 9 rocket lifts off the X-2 mission, and that’s when the 13-minute journey to orbit begins. Here’s a breakdown of how that works for this aircraft, including the primary and secondary main engine cutoffs (MECO).
| TIME (hr:min:s) | event | Header Cell – Column 2 |
|---|---|---|
| T+00:00:00 | Liftoff | Row 0 – Cell 2 |
| T+00:01:02 | Falcon 9 in Max Q | Row 1 – Cell 2 |
| T+00:02:26 | 1st Level MECO | Row 2 – Cell 2 |
| T+00:02:29 | Stage separation | Row 3 – cell 2 |
| T+00:02:37 | 2nd stage main engine start | Row 4 – cell 2 |
| T+00:02:39 | 1st stage boost backburn begins | Row 5 – cell 2 |
| T+00:03:28 | Increase flare ends again | Row 6 – cell 2 |
| T+00:06:25 | 1st stage entry combustion | Row 7 – cell 2 |
| T+00:07:31 | 1st degree landing burn | Row 8 – cell 2 |
| T+00:07:58 | 1st level landing | Row 9 – cell 2 |
| T+00:08:47 | 2nd stage is machine cutting | Row 10 – cell 2 |
| T+00:11:58 | Dragon capsule separation | Row 11 – cell 2 |
| T+00:12:46 | Dragon Nosecon opens | Row 12 – cell 2 |
What if SpaceX’s Ax-2 mission can’t launch on time?
SpaceX has an immediate window in which to launch the Ox-2 mission, so if it can’t lift off on May 21 5:37 PM EDT For any reason, there should be a delay of at least one day.
There is a backup boot option Monday, May 22, at 5:14 PM EDT (2114 GMT), the Ax-2 could be used by SpaceX to launch astronauts, but weather could be a concern. U.S. Space Force officials say there is a 20% chance of good conditions for the launch if bad weather moves in early Monday.
If SpaceX can’t launch the X-2 mission to Axiom space by May 22, the timeline will get a bit complicated and lead to a long delay.
NASA currently expects SpaceX to launch an uncrewed Dragon spacecraft on a CRS-28 cargo mission on June 3, and plans to prioritize that mission if it can’t lift off Ax-2 this week. Meanwhile, SpaceX rival Boeing plans to launch the first crewed flight of its Starliner spacecraft in July, which is also a high priority for NASA.
“If we don’t land on Sunday, Monday, we’ll get together with NASA and Axiom and SpaceX to look at the full manifest and see what the next launch opportunity is for the Axiom 2 mission,” NASA space station manager Joel Montalbano said Saturday.
