The Ax-3 spacecraft docks with the ISS, the mission is led by Spanish-American Lopez Alegria.

The Dragon capsule of the Ax-3 space mission. docked with the International Space Station (EEI) at 11:42 Spanish time on Saturday, January 20, opening the hatch a little less than two hours later.

The international team includes Italian Air Force Colonel Walter Villaday as its pilot, becoming the eighth Italian to fly into orbit. Together with Colonel Villadei, Swede Markus Wandt from the European Space Agency, the first ISS Turk Alper Gezeravci and Spanish-born astronaut

Michael Lopez-Alegriaby Axiom Space.

This is about Europe’s first trade mission. Ship launched from Kennedy Space Center POT in Florida at 10:49 pm Friday on Rocket Falcon 9 private space exploration company SpaceX, founded by Elon Musk. There are currently 11 astronauts and cosmonauts from seven nationalities on the International Space Station.

Crosetto: “Italy’s active participation in the mission

“The docking of the Crew Dragon spacecraft to the International Space Station marks the beginning of the operational phase of the Ax-3 mission, during which important experiments Colonel Villadea and his comrades. I wish everyone a pleasant stay on board and good work.” This is what Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said in a note released to the press. “The Department of Defense was actively involved in the project and the mission. with the intention of taking advantage of the development opportunities offered New space economy

promoting a new model of public-private coordination that allows Italian industry to play an important role in the sector with a high level of know-how, increasing scientific, technological and operational skills associated with human activities in space,” the minister said.

Villaday will lead 13 projects in Italy

Numerous experiments will be carried out on the ISS, of which 13 Italian projects will be coordinated by Colonel Villaday. It will be of great importance experiments to track space objects entering the atmosphere and possible collisions between objects artificial objects in active orbit (ISS, communication satellites, etc.) and space debris. Except two weeks stay in microgravity conditions will make it possible to test and verify the physiological effects of space flights on humans, to understand their biological and psychological changes, explains Defense.

Villaday: “An extraordinary international context

“Thanks to Italy as a whole, thanks to the Air Force, and also to all the institutions that contributed scientifically to this mission, in this exceptional context of international cooperation. For fifteen days we will be here collaborating and working with this extraordinary international crew

“Colonel Villaday stated when the Ax-3 crew met the astronauts aboard the ISS after opening the hatch.