14/12/2023
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ESA project astronaut Marcus Wandt from Sweden will travel to the International Space Station on Axiom Mission 3 (Ax-3) no earlier than January 10 2024, European time.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the Ax-3 crew of four astronauts into space from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, USA, after 20:00 ET local time on 9 January, or 01:00 GMT/02:00 CET on January 10. There is three-day window available for launch.
Marcus will fly as a mission specialist on a Dragon spacecraft. The other Axiom 3 crew members are Walter Villadei from Italy and Alper Gezeravcı from Türkiye. They will fly under the command of Michael López-Alegría Marcus, representing both USA and Spain as a dual-citizen.
Fast-track to space
Marcus is the first of a new generation of European astronauts to fly on a commercial human spaceflight opportunity with Axiom Space, and the third Swedish citizen to fly in space. As a project astronaut, his job at ESA is linked to this specific flight opportunity on a fixed-term contract.
Ax-3 will be the first commercial human spaceflight mission with an ESA-sponsored astronaut. Europe is redefining the pathway to low Earth orbit to show how fast-track, short-duration missions with flexible access to microgravity can generate good science, outreach and education for a better life on Earth.
During his two-week mission, Marcus will devote much of his time to scientific activities and technology demonstrations that could shape the way we live and work on Earth. In total, he will run around 20 experiments.
Muninn – knowledge and passion
Marcus’s mission, supported by ESA and the Swedish National Space Agency, is called Muninn.
His first mission to space takes its name from Norse mythology and the two raven accomplices of the god Odin – Muninn and Huginn. Together, the two symbolise the human mind.
According to the myth, the ravens serve as messengers and advisors to their god, sharing all they see and hear. Muninn comes from the Old Norse word munr, that can be translated as mind and passion.
Huginn is the name of ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen’s mission. Andreas is currently commander of the International Space Station. This will be the first time two Scandinavians live and work together in space.
Meet Marcus
Born in 1980, Marcus Wandt grew up in Hammarö, at the shoreline of the biggest lake in Sweden.
Creating, building and fixing things have always been a big interest for Marcus. He combined his studies in electrical engineering with a promising career as a pilot.
Marcus has flown as a military fighter and test pilot over the last two decades. He defines himself as an action-oriented thinker able to adapt quickly to different missions.
Marcus was one of the 17 new astronaut candidates chosen from over 22 500 applicants from across ESA Member States in November 2022. He started intensive training for his spaceflight in June 2023.
Follow Marcus’s journey on the Muninn website, check our launch kit and connect with Marcus on his Instagram and X accounts.