Europeans took off for the International Space Station thanks to a private mission

The launch took place at 4:49 p.m. local time (10:49 p.m. Paris time), Thursday, January 18, from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida (United States). A SpaceX rocket took off to the International Space Station (ISS) to carry four passengers, as part of the third private mission of its kind.

The passengers, who have been training for months, are expected to spend around two weeks on the ISS, where they are due to arrive on Saturday. They then plan to conduct a series of scientific experiments there. The mission, named Axiom Mission 3 (Ax-3), is the third organized by the American company Axiom Space. After enabling wealthy clients to realize their space dreams, the company now also takes individuals sponsored by national agencies.

Among the crew members this time: Alper Gezeravci, a fighter pilot who became the first Turk to cross the final frontier. Also on board, the Swede Marcus Wandt, supported by the European Space Agency (ESA). The crew is completed by the Italian Walter Villadei and the Spaniard and American Michael Lopez-Alegria, former NASA astronaut and mission commander.