How to watch NASA’s first space tourism launch to the ISS

NASA is about to embark on its first space tourism mission to the International Space Station (ISS), and you can watch the entire event as it happens.

Organized by Texas-based Axiom Space and using SpaceX hardware, the 10-day mission will launch from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida at lunchtime on Wednesday, April 6.

The crew comprises Canadian investor and philanthropist Mark Pathy, American entrepreneur Larry Connor, and former Israeli Air Force pilot Eytan Stibbe, together with mission commander and former NASA astronaut Michael López-Alegría.

Pathy, Connor, and Stibbe have reportedly paid an astonishing $55 million for the trip of a lifetime.

The crewmembers have undergone months of intensive training for the Ax-1 mission and will spend their time in orbit conducting scientific research as well as outreach and commercial activities.

What to expect

Multiple cameras will livestream Wednesday’s events at the launch site. It’s likely to include the spacefarers making their to the Crew Dragon capsule, taking their seats, and making final preparations for the all-important launch that will see SpaceX’s workhorse Falcon 9 rocket blast the capsule and crew toward the ISS.

The Crew Dragon spacecraft will arrive at the space station early on Friday, April 8.

How to watch

The Ax-1 mission will begin from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 12:05 p.m. ET (9:05 a.m. PT) on Wednesday, April 6.

You can watch events by firing up the video player embedded at the top of this page, or by visiting NASA’s live TV feed, which will carry the same content. The broadcast will start at 10:45 a.m. ET (7:45 a.m. PT) on Wednesday.

Changes to the schedule could occur due to poor weather conditions or last-minute technical issues. Check NASA’s Twitter feed for any last-minute updates.

Coverage of the Crew Dragon’s approach to the space station will start at 1 a.m. ET on Friday, April 8 (10 p.m. PT on Thursday). The actual docking procedure is scheduled for 2:45 a.m. ET on Friday, April 8 (11:45 p.m. PT on Thursday). The livestream will include the hatch opening and welcoming ceremony as the Ax-1 crew enter the ISS for the first time.

To get you in the mood for the launch of Ax-1, check out NASA’s recently released cinematic trailer for the upcoming mission.

Editors’ Recommendations