Special Ax-1 astronauts extend their stay at the space station: Dragon Endeavor’s departure has been postponed

SpaceX’s Dragon Endeavor spacecraft carrying four astronauts from the Axiom 1 mission approaches the International Space Station on April 9, 2022, less than a day after it was launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The image above the Earth’s horizon shows the first quarter moon. credit: NASA

NASA Mission Control has informed the Expedition 67 and Axiom Mission 1 (Axiom 1) crews aboard the International Space Station that due to unfavorable weather at the launch site to recover Dragon Endeavor and the crew of Ax-1, the Integrated Operations Team at NASA, Axiom Space and SpaceX He postponed the planned departure of the spacecraft from the orbiting laboratory.

The SpaceX Dragon Endeavor crew ship carrying special Axiom Ax-1 astronauts approaches the International Space Station. Both spacecraft were orbiting 257 miles above the Atlantic Ocean northwest of the island nation of the Republic of Cabo Verde, which lies off the coast of Dakar, Senegal, in Africa. credit: NASA

Weather permitting, the four-member special crew of astronauts is now targeted to separate them at around 10 p.m. on Tuesday, April 19, to begin the journey home with water spraying off the Florida coast no later than 3:24 p.m. EST United on Wednesday 20th April.

The SpaceX Dragon Endeavor crew ship carrying 4 astronauts for the Axiom 1 mission approaches the International Space Station. Both spacecraft were orbiting 259 miles above the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Casablanca, Morocco, in northwest Africa. credit: NASA

NASA’s coverage of the farewell party will remain as previously scheduled, and the updated NASA Ax-1 return coverage will be as follows (all times east):

Tuesday 19 April

• 7 a.m. – Covering begins for the farewell party
• 7:45 p.m. – Coverage begins for hatch closings at approximately 8 p.m.
• 9:45 p.m. – Coverage begins to stop at approximately 10 p.m.

The SpaceX Dragon Endeavor crew ship carrying Axiom Mission 1 astronauts approaches the International Space Station. Pictured below Endeavor is the first quarter of the moon as both spacecraft were orbiting 262 miles above central China. credit: NASA

Teams will continue to monitor the weather at the air distribution sites prior to docking to ensure conditions are acceptable for the safe recovery of the Dragon spacecraft and the Ax-1 astronauts. If necessary for any reason, there are additional chances that the crew will depart from the space station on Wednesday, April 20.