Private Ax-1 Astronauts Extend Stay on Space Station: Dragon Endeavour Departure Postponed

The SpaceX Dragon Endeavour carrying four Axiom Mission 1 astronauts approaches the International Space Station on April 9, 2022, less than a day after launching from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Pictured above Earth’s horizon is the first quarter Moon. Credit: NASA

Mission Control has informed the Expedition 67 and Axiom Mission 1 (Ax-1) crews aboard the International Space Station that because of unfavorable weather at the splashdown location for recovery of the Dragon Endeavour and the Ax-1 crew, the integrated operations team at NASA, Axiom Space, and SpaceX has postponed the spacecraft’s planned departure from the orbiting laboratory.

The SpaceX Dragon Endeavour crew ship carrying the private Axiom Ax-1 astronauts approaches the ISS. Both spacecraft were orbiting 257 miles above the Atlantic Ocean northwest of the island country of The Republic of Cabo Verde, which is off the coast of Dakar, Senegal, in Africa. Credit: NASA

Weather permitting, the four-member private astronaut crew now is targeted to undock at about 10 p.m. Tuesday, April 19, to begin the journey home with splashdown off the coast of Florida no earlier than approximately 3:24 p.m. EDT Wednesday, April 20.

The SpaceX Dragon Endeavour crew ship carrying 4 Axiom Mission 1 astronauts 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 coverage of the farewell ceremony will remain as previously scheduled, and the updated NASA Ax-1 return coverage is as follows (all times Eastern):

Tuesday, April 19

• 7 a.m. – Coverage begins for farewell ceremony
• 7:45 p.m. – Coverage begins for hatch closure at approximately 8 p.m.
• 9:45 p.m. – Coverage begins for undocking at about 10 p.m.

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

Teams will continue to monitor the weather at the splashdown sites prior to undocking to ensure conditions are acceptable for a safe recovery of the Dragon spacecraft and Ax-1 astronauts. If needed for any reason, there are additional opportunities for the crew’s departure from the space station on Wednesday, April 20.