Axiom-1 timeline: From launch to space station docking what 4 civilian astronauts will experience

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First private civilian crew makes history hitching ride to ISS

The first private civilian crew makes history hitching a ride to the International Space Station on Space X's Axiom Mission-1. FOX Weather's Brandy Campbell has more from the Kennedy Space Center on the long road to outer space.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. – Four civilians will embark on the journey of a lifetime Friday as they launch in a SpaceX rocket from Kennedy Space Center, becoming the first all-private mission to the International Space Station.

While the ride to space – the SpaceX Crew Dragon Endeavour -- is the identical spacecraft NASA, Japanese and European astronauts use to get to space, this mission will be different because the four men on board are all private citizens. The Axiom Mission-1 (Ax-1) is the first launch for Houston-based company Axiom Space which has purchased the ride for its customers, who each paid $55 million for the trip.

Three wealthy investors -- American Larry Connor, Canadian Mark Pathy and Israeli Eytan Stibbe – bought the first seats through Axiom and trained for the last five months to prepare for their 10-day spaceflight. Axiom Space vice president and former NASA astronaut Michael López-Alegría will be the mission commander. This will be his fifth spaceflight.

SpaceX is targeting Friday at 11:17 a.m. ET to launch the Falcon 9 rocket with Crew Dragon from Kennedy Space Center launchpad 39A.

MEET THE MEN BEHIND THE ALL-PRIVATE MISSION TO THE ISS

Elon Musk's company SpaceX has now been launching astronauts to the space station for NASA as part of the agency's commercial crew program, so we have a good idea of what the civilian space explorers will experience leading up to liftoff and then on the journey to the ISS.

2:37 a.m. ET Wakeup call

Pathy, Connor, Stibbe and López-Alegría will begin their day and have their last breakfast on Earth. 

7:12 a.m. Crew handoff to SpaceX

7:27 a.m. Weather update 

The crew will get a weather update. Launch weather officers are looking at conditions around Kennedy Space Center and the Atlantic Ocean in case of an emergency launch abort. 

7:50 a.m. Live coverage begins

The Axiom Space and SpaceX livestream of the countdown will begin. 

7:52 a.m. Suit up

The four crew will get help from SpaceX employees donning their black-and-white spacesuits. Teams will check for leaks before sending the civilian crew out to the launch pad.

8:12 a.m. The crew walks out 

The four men have been in quarantine ahead of liftoff and will get to distantly say their goodbyes to family and friends at KSC.

8:22 a.m. Drive to launchpad 39A

In SpaceX style, two Teslas will transport the four crew members to launchpad 39A. 

8:37 a.m. Crew gets into the Dragon

After taking the elevator up the launch tower, the Ax-1 crew will walk across the crew access arm and then get strapped into their seats for launch.

9:22 a.m. Hatch close

SpaceX teams will close the Dragon Endeavour hatch and check for leaks.

10:32 a.m. Go or no go for fuel loading

Mission and launch control will conduct another check before fueling the rocket. At this time, SpaceX teams will be leaving the launchpad.

10:35 a.m. Astronaut walkway retracts

The crew access arm connecting to the spacecraft will pull away, clearing the way for the Falcon 9 to launch.

10:40 a.m. Dragon launch escape system is armed

This emergency abort system must be armed before the fuel load can start. The launch escape system would send the spacecraft away from the rocket if something were to go wrong. 

10:42 a.m. Fuel loading begins 

SpaceX begins loading rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen into the rocket's first stage. 

11:10 a.m. Falcon 9 engine chill

11:16 a.m. SpaceX launch director decides if Falcon 9 is ‘go’ for launch

11:17:11 a.m. Falcon 9 liftoff

11:18:13 a.m. Max Q- maximum stress on the Falcon 9 during the launch 

11:26 a.m. Falcon 9 rocket booster lands at sea

11:29 a.m. Dragon separates from the second stage. 

The spacecraft is now on its own after separating from the Falcon 9 second stage.

11:49 a.m. Ax-1 crew doffs suits

The men can take off their spacesuits and get comfortable exploring the cabin. 

5 p.m. Crew sleep

1:15 a.m.  Crew wakeup

6:32 a.m. Approach to ISS begins

7:45 a.m. - Docking 

Dragon Endeavour will dock at Node-2 on the International Space Station. After the docking is complete, the hatch will open around 9:35 a.m.