Axiom Space's Ax-3 Mission
The four Ax-3 astronauts in Axiom Mission 3’s SpaceX Dragon spacecraft “Freedom” preparing to travel to the ISS.
Credit: Imagery Courtesy of Axiom Space. Copyright: © 2023 Axiom Space, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Ax-3 Mission
In January 2024, one of Kaido’s earliest creations was sent into outer space and aboard the International Space Station (ISS) as part of Axiom Space’s historic Ax-3 Mission.
The Ax-3 Mission was Axiom Space's third commercial human spaceflight mission and the first all-European commercial astronaut mission to launch to the ISS.
Kaido's painting Past Memories/Overview — an oil on canvas made in 2015 when the artist first learned to paint — travelled with the Ax-3 crew to become one of only a small number of abstract artworks that humanity has ever sent to outer space, and even fewer to have boarded the ISS.
The Mission
Axiom Space is the leading provider of human spaceflight services and developer of human-rated space infrastructure, and were responsible for the world's first private spaceflight to the ISS.
The Ax-3 Mission's four-strong crew comprised of Ax-3 Commander Michael López-Alegría, a former NASA astronaut and the commander of Axiom Mission 1, the first all-private astronaut mission to the ISS; Pilot Walter Villadei, Italian Air Force Col. representing Italy; Mission Specialist Alper Gezeravc, the first Turkish astronaut to launch to space and ESA project astronaut Marcus Wandt, representing Sweden.
Past Memories/Overview flew into space aboard the SpaceX Dragon Freedom, launching at 4.49pm ET on Thursday 18 January 2024 from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Centre in Florida.
The Ax-3 crew spent nearly 22 days in space, orbiting the Earth 346 times at an altitude of 250 statute miles at over 17,000 miles per hour, for about 9.1 million miles, before splashing down on Friday 9 February 2024 at 8.30am ET, off the coast of Florida.
The painting was joined by the art of several digital artists, including pieces by Art Blocks Co-Founder Snowfro and artist Jordan Lyall, astronaut and artist Dr Sian Proctor and photographer Dave Krugman.
Past Memories/Overview (2015) floating in microgravity aboard the International Space Station.
Credit: Imagery Courtesy of Axiom Space. Copyright: © 2023 Axiom Space, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
The Artwork
Past Memories/Overview (2015) was made when Kaido first began painting. The artist learned to paint through making oil paintings in private before becoming a fully digital abstract painter.
An oil on canvas, the painting was originally part of a larger piece and was cut to meet the flight manifest size requirements of travelling aboard the spacecraft.
As Kaido destroyed the majority of his physical artworks prior to becoming a digital painter, Past Memories/Overview exists as one of his earliest surviving creations. Along with being one of the few abstract artworks that have ever been to space, it also documents the origins of his practice as a painter.
The painting has been framed alongside the official Axiom Space Certificate of Authenticity, signed by the Commander of the Ax-3, astronaut Michael López-Alegría.
Details
Past Memories/Overview, 2015.
Oil on canvas.
Hand-signed by the artist.
Framed with official Axiom Space COA (Certificate of Authenticity), hand-signed by astronaut Michael López-Alegría, Commander of the AX-3.
Images
Alper Gezeravcı, Marcus Wandt, Michael López-Alegría, Walter Villadei aboard the ISS.
Credit: Imagery Courtesy of Axiom Space. Copyright: © 2023 Axiom Space, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
The exterior of the ISS and the Earth as seen by Ax-3 mission specialist Marcus Wandt from inside the orbiting laboratory's Japanese Experiment Module (JEM). Credit: ESA / Marcus Wandt. Imagery Courtesy of Axiom Space. Copyright: © 2023 Axiom Space, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Ax-3 Crew Member Marcus Wandt flying through the ISS.
Credit: Marcus Wandt. Imagery Courtesy of Axiom Space. Copyright: © 2023 Axiom Space, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
From inside the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft “Endurance”, docked to the International Space Station’s Harmony Module’s zenith port, Expedition 70 Commander Andreas Mogensen captures a view of the Earth and the Axiom Mission 3’s SpaceX Dragon spacecraft “Freedom” docked to the module’s forward port on the day of undock.
Credit: Imagery Courtesy of NASA. Credit Andreas Mogensen. Copyright: © 2023 NASA.