SpaceX Dragon docks to Space Station with AX-3 astronauts

On January 20, 2024, the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft docked at the International Space Station (ISS) carrying the Axiom Mission 3 (Ax-3) astronauts.

Axiom Mission 3 Astronauts Michael Lopez, Walter Villadei, Marcus Wandth and Alper Gezeravci onboard ISS at 5:42 a.m. EST. Dragon achieved the docking after flying 262 miles over the Pacific Ocean, west of South America.

SpaceX mission control also published a live feed of the docking sequence via its official X account.

SpaceX launched the Ax-3 mission from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) on January 18 at 4:49 a.m. from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. After the first stage separation, the booster rocket landed on Landing Zone 1 (LZ-1) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

Dragon Spacecraft docked at the International Space Station (ISS) with Ax-3 astronauts (image source – NASA)