The first Spanish astronaut, Miguel Lopez-Alegria, returns to space at the age of 65.

Astronaut Miguel Lopez-Alegría, who in 1995 became the first Spaniard to travel in space, at the age of 65, again experienced the sensations of life in zero gravity. He did so as commander of the first all-European commercial mission to the International Space Station (ISS), which launched this Thursday from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Traveling with him are the first Turkish cosmonaut Alper Gezeravc, the Swede Marcus Wandt and the Italian Walter Villaday.

The US company Axion Space’s Ax-3 mission took off this Thursday evening from Cape Canaveral, twenty-four hours after those in charge delayed takeoff until today to complete final checks of the 8-meter Dragon capsule. which was launched using a reusable two-stage 70-meter Falcon 9 rocket, both manufactured SpaceX

company created by Elon Musk.

The mission, sponsored by the European Space Agency, aims to conduct more than thirty scientific experiments that will allow us to better understand various biological processes, including how spaceflight affects the human body or the mechanisms behind them. .from some diseases. Some of the results could be used to develop new treatments, for example against cancer at an early stage, when it is still curable.

Axiom’s idea is for the third commercial mission to arrive at the space station this Friday morning, where it will stay for 14 days. The Texas-based space company believes the trip will be a new opportunity for more countries to gain access to low-Earth orbit to advance microgravity research and development.

The royal house is following the mission with interest.

The Spanish royal family announced this evening on their ‘X’ account that they are following the launch of the first all-European private commercial mission to the International Space Station (ISS) with “great interest”.

“We are following with great interest the launch of the Axiom Space Ax-3 mission with the support of @ESA and under the leadership of the Spanish-American Commander Lopez-Alegría,” said a statement published by the House of His Majesty the King on social networks. “Another great step for aerospace science and the scientific community, which will undoubtedly bring us great success,” he adds.