What is Axiom-1 doing while on the International Space Station?

A lot of eyes are on Axiom-1 right now. As the first all-private mission to the International Space Station, people are wondering what they are doing up there. Read below about the experiments and outreach events Axiom has planned.

25 experiements sponsored by the ISS National Labratory

The bulk of the work done by the four Axiom crew members will be experiments sponsored by the ISS National Laboratory. The ISS National Lab is an NGO managing experiments on the orbital station. Its goal is to connect researchers with the resources on the ISS. In total, Axiom-1 will conduct 25 experiments from the National Lab, here are some below.

In partnership with the Mayo Clinic, Axiom-1 pilot Larry Connor conducted experiments on human cells to test microgravity’s effects on them. The goal is to understand aging better. Conner will do several other experiments focused around this, one of the many causes he has supported for a long time.

Mark Pathy set up an augmented reality system called Holoportation by Microsoft. The goal of it the AR system is to test its use for future deep-space missions, allowing for two-way communications. Back down on Earth, Holoportation can help with virtual doctor visits.

All four crew members will participate in experiments by the Baylor College of Medicine. The study will examine physiological, cognitive, balance, perception, and visual acuity data before, during, and after Axiom-1’s ten-day stay in space. Some of that work has already begun during flight day four.

STEM outreach events with Axiom-1 crewmembers

Axiom hasn’t released any specifics or where to watch these events, but several crew members will focus on educational content while onboard. The first Israeli to visit the space station, Eytan Stibbe, will be spending most of his time on video calls with children for STEM outreach.

Overall, this isn’t just a week-long vacation in space. Axiom has scheduled the crew members to keep them as busy as the professional astronauts they share the opening with, utilizing many of the same pieces of equipment they do.