Eyes on the stars

ESA project astronaut Marcus Wandt looks up as he stands next to the SpaceX Dragon capsule that will take him to the International Space Station next week.

Marcus will be the fifth ESA astronaut to fly on a Dragon spacecraft, and the first of a new generation of Europeans to fly on a commercial spaceflight opportunity with Axiom Space.

This picture was taken during his intensive training for Axiom Mission 3 (Ax-3) in California, USA, where he prepared for his role as mission specialist inside the capsule.

The Swedish astronaut is wearing the flight suit he will use during the critical moments of the Dragon flight – launch, docking, departure and landing. The suit protects the astronaut from the unlikely event of fire or loss of pressure. Embroidered on his left arm is the Swedish flag.

Born in 1980, Marcus Wandt grew up in Hammarö, at the shoreline of the biggest lake in Sweden. ESA and the Swedish National Space Agency are teaming up to support his first space mission, called Muninn.

With just one week to go until launch day, Marcus is currently in quarantine in Florida, USA, a few kilometres away from the Falcon 9 rocket that will boost him into orbit. The launch is scheduled no earlier than 23:11 CET/22:11 GMT on 17 January 2024.

This period of isolation will help keep Marcus and the Axiom 3 crew away from any germs or viruses that might make them sick. Quarantine is also important to minimise the risk of taking any infectious disease with them into space.

Waiting for him in space is ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen, who is currently orbiting Earth as commander of the International Space Station during his Huginn mission. This will be the first time two Scandinavians live and work together in space, a symbolic tribute to the two ravens that inspired their mission names. Muninn and Huginn are the two raven accomplices of the Norse god Odin. In Nordic mythology, the ravens serve as messengers and advisors to their god, sharing all they see and hear.

Marcus will spend up to 14 days in orbit conducting nearly 20 science and technology experiments and running several educational activities.

Watch the launch of Marcus and the Axiom Mission 3 on ESA WebTV on 17 January 2024 at 22:11 GMT/23:11 CET

Follow Marcus’s journey on the Muninn website, check our launch kit and connect with Marcus on his Instagram and X accounts.