Sonya Gavankar McKay (left), director of digital strategy for Axiom Space, prepares to interview Dr. Lucie Low, chief scientist for Axiom Space, during a live broadcast ahead of the Axiom Mission 2 (Ax-2) launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on May 21, 2023. Ax-2 is the second all private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, sending Commander Peggy Whitson, Pilot John Shoffner, and Mission Specialists Ali Alqarni and Rayyanah Barnawi to the orbiting laboratory, where they will spend about 10 days conducting scientific research, outreach, and commercial activities. Liftoff occurred at 5:37 p.m. EDT from Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39A.

From left, Director of Digital Strategy for Axiom Space Sonya Gavankar McKay interviews Axiom Space Chief Revenue Officer Tejpaul Bhatia and Chief Development and Planning Officer of the Saudi Space Commission Ahmed Al-Ghofaili during a live broadcast ahead of the Axiom Mission 2 (Ax-2) launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on May 21, 2023. Ax-2 is the second all private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, sending Commander Peggy Whitson, Pilot John Shoffner, and Mission Specialists Ali Alqarni and Rayyanah Barnawi to the orbiting laboratory, where they will spend about 10 days conducting scientific research, outreach, and commercial activities. Liftoff occurred at 5:37 p.m. EDT from Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39A.

In this long exposure shot, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, carrying the company’s Dragon spacecraft, soars upward after lifting off from NASA Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39A in Florida on May 21, 2023, for the Axiom Mission 2 (Ax-2) to the International Space Station. Ax-2 is the second all private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, sending Commander Peggy Whitson, Pilot John Shoffner, and Mission Specialists Ali Alqarni and Rayyanah Barnawi to the orbiting laboratory, where they will spend about 10 days conducting scientific research, outreach, and commercial activities. Liftoff occurred at 5:37 p.m. EDT.

The first stage of a two-stage SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket makes its descent toward Landing Zone 1 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station after lifting off from NASA Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39A in Florida for the Axiom Mission 2 (Ax-2) on May 21, 2023. Ax-2 is the second all private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, sending Commander Peggy Whitson, Pilot John Shoffner, and Mission Specialists Ali Alqarni and Rayyanah Barnawi to the orbiting laboratory, where they will spend about 10 days conducting scientific research, outreach, and commercial activities. Liftoff occurred at 5:37 p.m. EDT.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, carrying the company’s Dragon spacecraft, soars upward after lifting off from NASA Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39A in Florida on May 21, 2023, for the Axiom Mission 2 (Ax-2) to the International Space Station. Ax-2 is the second all private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, sending Commander Peggy Whitson, Pilot John Shoffner, and Mission Specialists Ali Alqarni and Rayyanah Barnawi to the orbiting laboratory, where they will spend about 10 days conducting scientific research, outreach, and commercial activities. Liftoff occurred at 5:37 p.m. EDT.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, carrying the company’s Dragon spacecraft, lifts off from NASA Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39A in Florida on May 21, 2023, for the Axiom Mission 2 (Ax-2) to the International Space Station. Ax-2 is the second all private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, sending Commander Peggy Whitson, Pilot John Shoffner, and Mission Specialists Ali Alqarni and Rayyanah Barnawi to the orbiting laboratory, where they will spend about 10 days conducting scientific research, outreach, and commercial activities. Liftoff occurred at 5:37 p.m. EDT.

NASA Communications’ Megan Cruz (left) prepares to interview NASA Administrator Bill Nelson during a live broadcast ahead of the Axiom Mission 2 (Ax-2) launch from the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on May 21, 2023. Ax-2 is the second all private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, sending Commander Peggy Whitson, Pilot John Shoffner, and Mission Specialists Ali Alqarni and Rayyanah Barnawi to the orbiting laboratory, where they will spend about 10 days conducting scientific research, outreach, and commercial activities. Liftoff occurred at 5:37 p.m. EDT from Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39A.

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson watches as a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft lifts off from Launch Complex 39A at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for the Axiom Mission 2 (Ax-2) on May 21, 2023. Ax-2 is the second all private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, sending Commander Peggy Whitson, Pilot John Shoffner, and Mission Specialists Ali Alqarni and Rayyanah Barnawi to the orbiting laboratory, where they will spend about 10 days conducting scientific research, outreach, and commercial activities. Liftoff occurred at 5:37 p.m. EDT.

iss069e011319 (May 22, 2023) --- The SpaceX Freedom Dragon crew ship with four Axiom Mission-2 private astronauts aboard is pictured approaching the International Space Station. Freedom, commanded by former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, with Pilot John Shoffner and Mission Specialists Ala Alqarni and Rayyanah Barnawi, docked to the Harmony module's space-facing port at 9:12 a.m. EDT on Monday beginning eight days of docked operations with the seven-member Expedition 69 crew.

iss069e013996 (May 22, 2023) --- Axiom Space private astronaut and Axiom Mission-2 Mission Specialist Ali Alqarni enters the International Space Station shortly after the hatches were opened between the orbital outpost and the SpaceX Dragon Freedom spacecraft.

iss069e013992 (May 22, 2023) --- Axiom Space private astronaut and Axiom Mission-2 Pilot John Shoffner enters the International Space Station shortly after the hatches were opened between the orbital outpost and the SpaceX Dragon Freedom spacecraft.

iss069e013999 (May 22, 2023) --- Axiom Space private astronaut and Axiom Mission-2 Mission Specialist Rayyanah Barnawi enters the International Space Station shortly after the hatches were opened between the orbital outpost and the SpaceX Dragon Freedom spacecraft. Welcoming her inside the vestibule between the station's Harmony module and Dragon is NASA astronaut and Expedition 69 Flight Engineer Frank Rubio.

iss069e013989 (May 22, 2023) --- Axiom Space private astronaut and Axiom Mission-2 Commander Peggy Whitson enters the International Space Station shortly after the hatches were opened between the orbital outpost and the SpaceX Dragon Freedom spacecraft. Welcoming her inside the vestibule between the station's Harmony module and Dragon is NASA astronaut and Expedition 69 Flight Engineer Frank Rubio.

jsc2025e036193 (4/4/2025) --- Our team is pictured turning over samples for SpX-30 (Demo 2) to the NASA Packaging team. From left to right, we see Maxwell Landolina (UCONN PhD Student), Alexis Rios (Payload Mission Integrator, Axiom Space), Pinar Mesci (Senior Program Manager, Axiom Space), and Trystin Cote (UCONN PhD Student).

iss069e014093 (May 23, 2023) --- The Axiom Mission-2 and Expedition 69 crew members pose for a portrait together during dinner time aboard the International Space Station. In the center front row, is Expedition 69 crew member and UAE (United Arab Emirates) astronaut Sultan Alneyadi flanked by (from left) Axiom Mission-2 crew members Commander Peggy Whitson, Mission Specialist Ali Alqarni, Pilot John Shoffner, and Mission Specialist Rayyanah Barnawi. In the back (from left) are, Expedition 69 crew members Roscosmos cosmonaut Dmitri Petelin, NASA astronaut Stephen Bowen, Roscosmos cosmonauts Andrey Fedyaev and Sergey Prokopyev, and NASA astronaut Woody Hoburg. Not pictured is NASA astronaut Frank Rubio.

iss069e014094 (May 23, 2023) --- The Axiom Mission-2 and Expedition 69 crew members pose for a portrait together during dinner time aboard the International Space Station. In the center front row, is Expedition 69 crew member and UAE (United Arab Emirates) astronaut Sultan Alneyadi flanked by (from left) Axiom Mission-2 crew members Commander Peggy Whitson, Mission Specialist Ali Alqarni, Pilot John Shoffner, and Mission Specialist Rayyanah Barnawi. In the back (from left) are, Expedition 69 crew members Roscosmos cosmonaut Dmitri Petelin, NASA astronaut Stephen Bowen, Roscosmos cosmonauts Andrey Fedyaev and Sergey Prokopyev, and NASA astronaut Woody Hoburg. Not pictured is NASA astronaut Frank Rubio.

iss069e014837 (May 28, 2023) --- The SpaceX Dragon Freedom spacecraft is pictured docked to the space-facing port on the International Space Station's Harmony module. Dragon Freedom carried four Axiom Mission-2 astronauts to the orbital lab on May 22, 2023, including Commander Peggy Whitson, Pilot John Shoffner, and Mission Specialists Ali Alqarni and Rayyanah Barnawi.

iss069e014835 (May 28, 2023) --- The SpaceX Dragon Freedom spacecraft is pictured docked to the space-facing port on the International Space Station's Harmony module. Dragon Freedom carried four Axiom Mission-2 astronauts to the orbital lab on May 22, 2023, including Commander Peggy Whitson, Pilot John Shoffner, and Mission Specialists Ali Alqarni and Rayyanah Barnawi.

iss069e011321 (May 22, 2023) --- The SpaceX Freedom Dragon crew ship with four Axiom Mission-2 private astronauts aboard is pictured approaching the International Space Station 262 miles above the Earth. Freedom, commanded by former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, with Pilot John Shoffner and Mission Specialists Ala Alqarni and Rayyanah Barnawi, docked to the Harmony module's space-facing port at 9:12 a.m. EDT on Monday beginning eight days of docked operations with the seven-member Expedition 69 crew.

iss069e015031 (May 30, 2023) --- The SpaceX Dragon Freedom spacecraft is pictured with its nosecone deployed after departing the International Space Station moments earlier. Dragon Freedom returned to Earth later that day splashing down in the Gulf of Mexico with four Axiom Mission-2 astronauts including Commander Peggy Whitson, Pilot John Shoffner, and Mission Specialists Ali Alqarni and Rayyanah Barnawi.