Peggy Whitson, who has spent 665 days in space and participated in 10 spacewalks over the course of three stays aboard the International Space Station, is set to uphold her status as one of the undisputed ‘GOATs’ of the US program (greatest of all time).
Whitson, a former head of NASA’s astronaut corps who holds a Ph.D. in biology and served twice as commander of the astro station, made his final voyage in 2017 following a 289-day station flight. She never thought she’d return to spaceflight.
Former NASA Astronaut Peggy Whitson Set to Return to Space
Whitson, 63, is set to launch on her fourth voyage on Sunday as captain of the SpaceX Crew Dragon “Freedom,” having left NASA and joined Houston-based Axiom Space as director of human spaceflight.
She will be joined by two Saudi Arabian astronauts, F-16 fighter pilot Ali Alqarni and biomedical researcher Rayyanah Barnawi, as well as former businessman, race car driver, and explorer John Shoffner, who will serve as her co-pilot.
This is Axiom’s second private astronaut mission, or PAM, to the International Spaceport Station, which NASA has authorized in an effort to promote private-sector development of low-Earth orbit.
The cost of the flight and the amount contributed by Shoffner and the Saudi government for Alqarni and Barnawi are not disclosed by SpaceX or Axiom. Yet, the estimated price per seat is greater than $50 million.
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Mission to International Station
In any case, after Sultan Salman Al-flight Saud’s aboard the space shuttle Discovery in 1985, Alqarni and Barnawi will be the second and third Saudis to travel to space.
Both of them will make history as the first Saudis to visit the space station and the first Saudi lady to go in space thanks to Barnawi.
It will be the third non-government mission for the California rocket manufacturer and the second one that Axiom Space has chartered.
It will be the tenth piloted flight of a SpaceX Crew Dragon.
Although there is only a 60% probability of favorable weather on Sunday, that possibility drops to just 20% on Monday due to anticipated thunderstorms, as is the case with many afternoon launches this time of year.
Only two chances remain for the Ax-2 crew to depart in May. The flight could be delayed into the late summer or fall due to other planned launches, several spacewalks, and the first manned flight of Boeing’s Starliner capsule in July if the weather or some other problem keeps them on the ground through Monday.
