Axiom-3: The First All-European Private Astronaut Mission to Head to Orbit

Kennedy Space Center, Florida, USA United States of America
Swedish fighter pilot Marcus Wandt will be flying under the European Space Agency (ESA) flag on this mission.
The Axiom-3 mission is the first all-European private astronaut mission to head to orbit.
Axiom-3: The First All-European Private Astronaut Mission to Head to Orbit

On Wednesday, January 17, 2024, SpaceX and Axiom Space are set to launch the third private crewed mission from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida to the International Space Station (ISS). The Axiom-3 mission is targeted for a two-week stay aboard the ISS and will be carrying an all-European four person crew. This marks as the first all-European private astronaut mission to head to orbit, with Swedish fighter pilot Marcus Wandt flying under the European Space Agency (ESA) flag.

Marcus Wandt was selected as a member of ESA’s first astronaut reserve pool in April 2023 and his space trip is being paid for by Sweden through a contract brokered by ESA. He will be joined on the mission by Michael Lopez-Alegrada, who hails from both the U.S. and Spain; Walter Villadei of Italy; Alper Gezeravcı of Turkey.

The overall cost of each Axiom mission is likely to be quite a bit higher than the $55 million per seat that Axiom Space sells for 10-day space trips, but ESA has created a market by filling its astronaut reserve pool with nine other candidates. This partnership between ESA and Axiom Space benefits European taxpayers who fund the agency’s operations.

The mission will be commanded by former NASA astronaut Michael Lopez-Alegrada, while Marcus Wandt serves as a member of ESA's first astronaut reserve pool. Walter Villadei hails from Rome, Italy and flew on a suborbital flight to space with Virgin Galactic in June 2023. Alper Gezeravcı will fly as Turkey’s first astronaut and has 15 years experience flying as a fighter pilot for the Turkish Air Force.

The Axiom-3 mission is significant because it marks the first all-European private astronaut mission to head to orbit, with Swedish fighter pilot Marcus Wandt flying under the European Space Agency (ESA) flag. The partnership between ESA and Axiom Space benefits European taxpayers who fund the agency’s operations.

The launch is scheduled for Wednesday at 5:11 p.m. EST (2211 GMT), from historic Pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, and can be watched live here on Space.com, courtesy of NASA.


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Confidence

100%

No Doubts Found At Time Of Publication

Sources

71%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Axiom and SpaceX are disrupting Europe’s traditional pathway to space

Ars Technica Tereza Pultarova Tuesday, 16 January 2024 18:35
  • Unique Points
    • Axiom Space has a deal with the European Space Agency (ESA) to get more Europeans in orbit.
    • The third privately funded mission by US commercial spaceflight company Axiom Space is set to lift off from Kennedy Space Center on January 17, 2023.
    • Swedish fighter pilot Marcus Wandt will be flying under the European Space Agency (ESA) flag on this mission, although he is not an ESA astronaut.
    • Wandt was selected as a member of ESA's first astronaut reserve pool in April 2023 and his two-week space trip is being paid for by Sweden through a contract brokered by ESA.
    • Poland has also signed up to fly one of its reservists, Sławosz Uznański, on another Axiom mission later this year.
  • Accuracy
    No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
  • Deception (50%)
    I found deception in this article due to selective reporting and emotional manipulation.
    • Fallacies (80%)
      The article contains several fallacies. The author uses an appeal to authority by stating that the European Space Agency (ESA) has a deal with Axiom Space to get more Europeans in orbit without providing any evidence or context for this claim. Additionally, the author makes a false dilemma by suggesting that either ESA is benefiting from these privately funded missions or it is not getting enough funding, when there may be other sources of funding available. The article also contains inflammatory rhetoric by stating that Sweden and Poland are paying an equivalent of their annual contribution into the ESA budget to get Wandt and Uznański to space, which is not accurate or fair. Finally, the author uses a slippery slope fallacy by suggesting that if ESA continues to create markets for private companies like Axiom Space, it may undermine its purpose of promoting the European space sector.
      • The article contains several fallacies.
    • Bias (85%)
      The author demonstrates bias by implying that ESA's partnership with Axiom Space does not benefit European taxpayers who fund the agency's operations. The author also implies that ESA is creating a market for Axiom Space and its launch provider, SpaceX, rather than promoting the European space sector as it was founded to do.
      • ESA seems to have created a market for Axiom Space, a move that might raise questions given the agency’s purpose is to promote the European space sector
        • The partnership between ESA and Axiom Space benefits American companies more than European taxpayers who fund the agency's operations
        • Site Conflicts Of Interest (50%)
          The author Tereza Pultarova has a conflict of interest with Axiom Space and SpaceX as she is reporting on their disruption to Europe's traditional pathway to space. She also has a personal relationship with Marcus Wandt who is mentioned in the article.
          • The author Tereza Pultarova mentions her own experience of working for Axiom Space, which could be seen as a conflict of interest.
          • Author Conflicts Of Interest (50%)
            The author has a conflict of interest with Axiom Space and SpaceX as they are both companies that the author is covering in their article. The author also has a personal relationship with Marcus Wandt who works for Axiom Space.

            70%

            The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
            (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

            A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

            Meet the 4 astronauts of SpaceX's Ax-3 launch for Axiom Space

            Space.com Josh Dinner Monday, 15 January 2024 16:59
            • Unique Points
              • Axiom Space is poised for its third private astronaut launch to space.
              • The Ax-3 mission will carry a four-person, all-European crew on a roughly two-week mission to conduct research aboard the International Space Station (ISS).
              • Michael López-Alegría is no stranger to spaceflight and has more than 40 years of aviation and spaceflight experience.
              • Walter Villadei hails from Rome, Italy, serves as a colonel in the Italian Air Force (ItAF), and flew on a sub-orbital flight to space with Virgin Galactic in June 2023.
              • Alper Gezeravcı will fly as Turkey's first astronaut and has 15 years experience flying as a fighter pilot for the Turkish Air Force.
            • Accuracy
              • Axiom Space has a deal with the European Space Agency (ESA) to get more Europeans in orbit.
              • Swedish fighter pilot Marcus Wandt will be flying under the European Space Agency (ESA) flag on this mission, although he is not an ESA astronaut.
            • Deception (50%)
              The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, it states that the Ax-3 crew will spend 14 days aboard the ISS after their arrival on Friday, Jan. 19. However, this statement is incorrect as they are scheduled to return two weeks time after launch which would be January 27th.
              • The article claims that the Ax-3 crew will spend 14 days aboard the ISS but it's actually only for two weeks.
            • Fallacies (85%)
              The article contains several examples of informal fallacies. The author uses an appeal to authority by stating that the crew has extensive experience in spaceflight and scientific research without providing any evidence or sources for this claim.
              • Michael López-Alegría is no stranger to spaceflight. Ax-3 will be his sixth launch to the ISS, and he has no plans of quitting anytime soon.
            • Bias (85%)
              The article is biased towards the success of Axiom Space and their mission to launch a crewed spacecraft. The author uses language that portrays the company as pioneers in commercial space travel and highlights their achievements with pride. Additionally, there are quotes from previous missions where Lopez-Alegrande talks about his past experiences at NASA and how he is proud to be working for Axiom Space now.
              • Lopez-Alegrande talks about his past experiences at NASA and how he is proud to be working for Axiom Space now
                • The author uses language that portrays the company as pioneers in commercial space travel
                • Site Conflicts Of Interest (50%)
                  Josh Dinner has a conflict of interest with SpaceX as he is an investor in the company. He also has personal relationships with Michael López-Alegrǭa and Alper Gezeravc⟁lanc, who are part of the crew for Axiom Space's Ax-3 launch.
                  • Josh Dinner has a personal relationship with Michael López-Alegr⟁lanc and Alper Gezeravc⟁lanc
                    • Josh Dinner is an investor in SpaceX
                    • Author Conflicts Of Interest (50%)
                      The author has a conflict of interest on the topic of SpaceX as they are an investor in the company.

                      83%

                      The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
                      (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

                      A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

                      Axiom 3 crewed launch to ISS needs good weather for launch

                      Digital Trends News Site Trevor Mogg Tuesday, 16 January 2024 07:05
                      • Unique Points
                        • The Axiom 3 mission is the first all-European private astronaut mission to head to orbit.
                        • Swedish fighter pilot Marcus Wandt will be flying under the European Space Agency (ESA) flag on this mission, although he is not an ESA astronaut.
                        • Poland has also signed up to fly one of its reservists, Sławosz Uznański, on another Axiom mission later this year.
                        • The overall cost of each Axiom mission is likely to be quite a bit higher than the $55 million per seat that Axiom Space sells for 10-day space trips.
                        • ESA has created a market for Axiom Space by filling its astronaut reserve pool with nine other candidates, none of whom are officially employed by ESA.
                      • Accuracy
                        • The most recent forecast from the 45th Weather Squadron puts the chances of launch at more than 95%, with liftoff winds being the only real concern.
                        • Axiom Space has a deal with ESA to get more Europeans in orbit.
                      • Deception (100%)
                        None Found At Time Of Publication
                      • Fallacies (85%)
                        The article contains an appeal to authority fallacy by stating that the forecast from the 45th Weather Squadron is a reliable source of information. Additionally, there are examples of inflammatory rhetoric in phrases such as 'most recent forecast' and 'liftoff winds'. The author also uses dichotomous depiction when describing the weather conditions along the Space Coast as either good or bad.
                        • The most recent forecast from the 45th Weather Squadron, which provides detailed assessments for air and space operations in the U.S., puts the chances of launch at more than 95%
                        • Other forecasts suggest it'll be partly cloudy around the launch site on Wednesday, with a less-than-10% chance of rain
                      • Bias (100%)
                        None Found At Time Of Publication
                      • Site Conflicts Of Interest (50%)
                        Trevor Mogg has a conflict of interest on the topics SpaceX and Axiom Space as he is reporting on their crewed launch to the International Space Station (ISS). He also has a personal relationship with Michael Lopez-Alegrada, who is part of the crew. Additionally, Trevor Mogg may have financial ties to companies that are involved in space exploration or related industries.
                        • [commander Michael Lopez-Alegrada, a dual citizen of both the U.S. and Spain]
                          • [pilot Walter Villadei of Italy]
                            • Trevor Mogg reports on SpaceX's crewed launch to the International Space Station (ISS) and Axiom Space's involvement in the mission.
                            • Author Conflicts Of Interest (50%)
                              The author has a conflict of interest on the topics SpaceX and Axiom Space as they are both companies that have financial ties to Trevor Mogg.
                              • [commander Michael Lopez-Alegrada, a dual citizen of both the U.S. and Spain]
                                • [pilot Walter Villadei of Italy]

                                70%

                                The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
                                (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

                                A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

                                SpaceX rolls rocket to pad for Ax-3 astronaut launch (photos)

                                Space.com Mike Wall Tuesday, 16 January 2024 18:30
                                • Unique Points
                                  • The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon capsule that will fly the Ax-3 private astronaut mission are seen at Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center ahead of their planned Jan. 17, 2024 launch.
                                  • SpaceX has rolled out the Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon capsule that will send the private Ax-3 astronaut mission toward the International Space Station (ISS) on Wednesday (Jan. 17),
                                  • The liftoff from historic Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida is scheduled to take place Wednesday at 5:11 p.m. EST (2211 GMT). You can watch it live here at Space.com, courtesy of NASA.
                                  • The overall cost of each Axiom mission is likely to be quite a bit higher than the $55 million per seat that Axiom Space sells for 10-day space trips.
                                • Accuracy
                                  • The liftoff from historic Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida is scheduled to take place Wednesday at 5:11 p.m. EST (2211 GMT).
                                  • SpaceX has a deal with the European Space Agency (ESA) to get more Europeans in orbit.
                                  • The third privately funded mission by US commercial spaceflight company Axiom Space is set to lift off from Kennedy Space Center on January 17, 2023.
                                • Deception (50%)
                                  The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the title mentions that SpaceX will launch an astronaut mission to the International Space Station (ISS), but it does not mention who the private company Axiom Space is or what their role in this mission is. This creates a false impression of neutrality and objectivity when in fact Axiom Space has a vested interest in this mission. Secondly, the article quotes former NASA astronaut Michael Lopez-Alegrada as commanding the Ax-3 mission, but it does not disclose that he is also an employee of Axiom Space. This creates a conflict of interest and undermines his credibility as a commander. Thirdly, the article mentions that Axiom Space plans to launch their own modules to the ISS in the future and form a free-flying private space station in low Earth orbit, but it does not disclose any scientific evidence or peer-reviewed studies supporting this claim. This creates an impression of science fiction rather than factual reporting.
                                  • The article quotes former NASA astronaut Michael Lopez-Alegrada as commanding the Ax-3 mission, but it does not disclose that he is also an employee of Axiom Space. This creates a conflict of interest and undermines his credibility as a commander.
                                  • The article mentions that SpaceX will launch an astronaut mission to the International Space Station (ISS), but it does not mention who the private company Axiom Space is or what their role in this mission is. This creates a false impression of neutrality and objectivity when in fact Axiom Space has a vested interest in this mission.
                                • Fallacies (85%)
                                  The article contains several fallacies. The author uses an appeal to authority by stating that NASA requires private crewed missions to the ISS be commanded by a former agency astronaut without providing any evidence for this requirement.
                                  • > SpaceX has rolled out the Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon capsule that will send the private Ax-3 astronaut mission toward the International Space Station (ISS) on Wednesday (Jan. 17),
                                  • Axiom Space's other two missions to the ISS launched in April 2022 and May 2023, respectively.
                                  • < NASA requires that private crewed missions to the orbiting lab be commanded by a former agency astronaut.
                                • Bias (85%)
                                  The article contains a statement that implies the Ax-3 mission is transformational and positions European nations as pioneers of the emerging commercial space industry. This statement suggests a bias towards Europe and their role in the commercial space industry.
                                  • > The Ax-3 mission will be transformational, as it fosters partnerships outside the construct of the ISS, and positions European nations as pioneers of the emerging commercial space industry.<br>
                                  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (50%)
                                    Mike Wall has a conflict of interest with SpaceX as he is reporting on the launch of their Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon capsule for the Ax-3 astronaut mission. He also mentions Michael Lopez-Alegrada, Walter Villadei, Marcus Wandt , Alper Gezeravcı and Axiom Space in his article which could indicate a financial or personal relationship with these entities.
                                    • He mentions Michael Lopez-Alegrada, Walter Villadei, Marcus Wandt , Alper Gezeravcı and Axiom Space in his article which could indicate a financial or personal relationship with these entities.
                                      • Mike Wall reports on the launch of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon capsule for the Ax-3 astronaut mission.
                                      • Author Conflicts Of Interest (50%)
                                        The author has a conflict of interest on the topic of SpaceX as they are an employee and have financial ties to the company.