(Updated) Axiom Mission 1: SpaceX Falcon 9, Dragon rolled out to launchpad ahead of Friday’s flight

NASA and Axiom Space's Axiom Mission 1 (Ax-1), the first private astronaut mission to the International Space Station (ISS), is set to lift off on April 8, from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Ahead of Friday's takeoff, SpaceX has rolled out the Crew Dragon spacecraft and the Falcon 9 rocket to the launchpad.

As part of the 10-day mission, the Ax-1 crew will travel to the orbiting outpost to conduct scientific research, outreach, and commercial activities. The mission will be commanded by former NASA astronaut Michael Lopez-Alegria of Spain and the United States, alongside Pilot Larry Connor of the United States, Mission Specialist Eytan Stibbe of Israel, and Mission Specialist Mark Pathy of Canada.

Falcon 9 and Dragon vertical at 39A; targeting Friday, April 8 for launch of Ax-1 → https://t.co/sIz9U6NRxT pic.twitter.com/NSJqo3FBb4

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) April 6, 2022

NASA has opened up ISS for commercial activities, including private astronaut missions, as part of its plan to develop a robust and competitive economy in low-Earth orbit (LEO). Private astronaut missions are privately funded, fully commercial spaceflights aimed at enabling tourism, outreach, commercial research, and approved commercial and marketing activities on the space station.

Update 1 

Mission managers with NASA, Axiom Space, and SpaceX have completed the Launch Readiness Review for Axiom’s Ax-1 mission.

LIVE: @Axiom_Space, @SpaceX and NASA leaders give an update on Axiom Mission 1 following the completion of #Ax1's Launch Readiness Review. Follow along: https://t.co/z1RgZwQkWS pic.twitter.com/Pj5XecbGpC

— NASA (@NASA) April 7, 2022

Update 2

The Axiom Mission 1 carrying four private astronauts lifted off at 11:17 a.m. EDT on Friday, April 8 from Launch Complex 39A. The spacecraft will autonomously dock to the space-facing port of the space station's Harmony module around 7:45 a.m.