Launching Thursday on a new special mission to the International Space Station

Four passengers, including a Swede, an Italian, and the first Turkish man to ascend into space, are scheduled to take off from Florida on Thursday to travel to the International Space Station on a mission that will take about two weeks.

A special space mission organized by Axiom Space is scheduled to launch on Thursday, carrying four passengers, including a Swede, an Italian, and the first Turkish man to ascend into space, from Florida to the International Space Station.

SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket is scheduled to launch at 4:49pm local time (9:49pm GMT) from Kennedy Space Center, SpaceX announced. SpaceX said the launch was initially scheduled to take place on Wednesday, but was postponed by a day to complete checks.

The mission, called Axiom 3 (Ax-3), is the third of its kind. As with the previous programme, which took the Saudis in particular into orbit, it reveals the growing role of the private sector in supporting the space ambitions of countries that do not have their own human spaceflight program – and are no longer just the dreams of wealthy individuals. To bear the costs of the trip.

Two weeks on board the International Space Station

The passengers, who have been training for months, are expected to spend nearly two weeks on the International Space Station (ISS). They plan to conduct a series of scientific experiments there.

Among the crew: Albert Gezeravci, a fighter pilot, who will become the first Turk to cross the final border. He was encouraged by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who stressed the importance of this trip for his country.

Swedish Markus Wandt is supported by the European Space Agency (ESA). His role as a “project astronaut” at ESA allows him to participate in short-term missions, via a fixed-term contract, unlike full-time astronauts, the European agency said.

“I want to thank ESA for its boldness and vision, and for leading the way, together with Sweden and Axiom Space, to strengthen Europe's presence in space,” Markus Wandt wrote on Twitter.

Partnership with NASA

Italian Walter Velade, a member of his country's air force, once flew on a Virgin Galactic spacecraft, but the spaceflight lasted only a few minutes.

Finally, the mission commander will be Spanish-American Michael Lopez Alegría, who will be employed by Axiom Space to support the three clients.

Details of the various contracts, including the prices paid for each seat, have not been announced. These missions are being carried out in partnership with NASA, which commissions Axiom Space to use the station.

NASA plans to retire the International Space Station around 2030, and then send its astronauts to private stations — which will also welcome their own customers. Hence, the US Space Agency promotes the programs of several companies, including Axiom Space.