Six Private Crews, One Epic Year: Space Coast Prepares for Blastoff in 2024

2024 promises a record-breaking six private crewed launches to the ISS, igniting the Space Coast with excitement. Get ready for Axiom Space, SpaceX, and more!

From Axiom Space's historic all-European crew to SpaceX's continued dominance, here are six reasons why you won't want to miss a single launch in 2024. Image: Pixabay

Forget fireworks – the real sky show in 2024 explodes from Florida's Space Coast! With a record-breaking six private crewed launches set to ignite the coming months, even Artemis II's delay to September 2025 can't dim the celestial fire. Buckle up for a thrilling year of spacefaring firsts, daring missions, and history-making milestones. 

➡️ Read the story of spacefaring firsts and history-making milestones.

Axiom Space kicks things off on January 17th with Axiom-3, their third private expedition to the International Space Station (ISS). This all-European crew, led by veteran astronaut Michael López-Alegría (think Space Shuttle Columbia, Soyuz spacecraft, and endless space cred), promises to rewrite the textbooks on space tourism. Joining him are:

-Col. Walter Villadei, an Italian Air Force pilot trading fighter jets for the Mission Pilot seat.

-ESA astronaut Marcus Wandt from Sweden, eager to conduct cutting-edge science on the ISS.

-Alper Gezeravcı, Turkey's first astronaut, making history with every cosmic step.

This dream team will spend 14 epic days living, working, and marveling at the Earth's breathtaking beauty from their Crew Dragon Freedom capsule, courtesy of SpaceX's legendary Falcon 9 rocket. But Axiom-3 is just the first act! Here's a sneak peek at the rest of the orbital extravaganza:

-February: SpaceX Crew-6 blasts off for their ISS mission.

-May: Boeing Starliner Crew Flight Test finally makes its way to the orbiting outpost.

-June: SpaceX Crew-7 embarks on another ISS adventure.

-August: Axiom Space returns with Ax-4, ready for another ISS chapter.

-December: SpaceX Crew-8 closes out the year with their ISS journey.

With private companies fueling the fire of space exploration, 2024 promises to be a year where the sky's not the limit – it's the launchpad! So, space fans, mark your calendars, share the hype, and keep your eyes trained on the cosmos. This year, the Space Coast is set to become the hippest vacation spot in the entire galaxy!