Astronaut Peggy Whitson talks Axiom mission, making space accessible

Peggy Whitson is America’s most experienced astronaut, having spent 675 days in space. It has just returned from its fourth voyage into orbit.

Axiom Space recently completed its second human spaceflight mission to travel to and from the International Space Station via a SpaceX Dragon capsule. Whitson, director of human spaceflight at Axiom, served as mission commander for Axi-2.

He sat on CNBC’s “Manifest Space” podcast With the retired NASA astronaut to discuss her return to space, the commercialization of human spaceflight and her view of the private space economy.

The following has been edited for length and clarity.

Let’s talk about the mission, what did you accomplish, and what was it like doing it as a private astronaut?

Of course, I would like to go to space. It is like my second home. I wanted to go but to be a part of this changing era of space is really exciting for me. This is what made this trip special for me. And I like to think of it as changing the evolution of the idea that humanity belongs in space. And we have a goal to be there. That, for me, that changes a little bit from where I’ve come from in the past.

I’m back on the space station, I’ve been someone who commands the space station, I’ve been there many times before. What was it like returning, for lack of better terms, as a visitor?

It was a different view for me. Despite this, I had a unique experience. This was the first time I had ever commanded a launch vehicle. So that was a new part of the experience. And as part of being an astronaut at NASA, I’ve had many experiences where we trade responsibilities in command. And so that was just another aspect of that. The post commander was driving there at the station and at the Dragon, I had the lead. So it’s just interesting roles and responsibilities that depend on where you are. But it was great to go back there and see the place. Some things were in the same place they were when you left. …even some of the bags had my handwriting on them.

I’ve ridden many spacecraft and rockets now. What was it like working with SpaceX? And what does it feel like to fly the Dragon and launch it from the Falcon 9 against Soyuz or against the space shuttle?

In Dragon, I loved the crew interfaces and displays because they fused data and actions together and made it very easy for my user perspective to really know what was going on, what was happening, and stay connected to the vehicle. So it was very exciting. Landing on water was definitely better than landing on land. Much less rolling.

How quickly do you think human spaceflight is becoming more common, more commercial, and more accessible?

I think access will increase for many more countries and individuals. But I also think, as we start to develop the commercial aspects of the station, it will also bring other companies that want to develop products of, say, pharmaceuticals or other things, on board the commercial space station, and so I’m excited about that future. Because of Axiom — and NASA’s design to have our station initially tied to the ISS and then built from there and departed before the ISS goes out of orbit in 2030 –[this]allows us an opportunity to get a really good proving ground and open that up. Arrive a little earlier.

Are you going to do more of these spaceflights?

Oh, I certainly hope so.

How involved are you in the inputs about the development of these commercial space stations? Or in terms of training about future teams that will be involved in these missions? What does your day job look like with this startup space company?

One of the most exciting things for me is talking to these innovative young engineers. We have a really great mix of people who have worked on this station and… they know things that should never be done again. (They have) these new, innovative ideas coming out, and I talk to these guys and say, ‘Okay, here’s a good idea, that this one is going to work in space.’ That, you’ll have to work on that because it’s not practical in space for that reason, for that reason. I can use my experience to help them design and fine-tune without having to do all the research themselves. It’s exciting to me. Also, one of the things I love to do and one of the things I developed while working at NASA was the skills of the Expeditionary Crew. So, the soft skills that crew members use and interact with each other. Like teamwork, leadership, subordinate, self-care, group care, those things are all important aspects of the job, especially when you live in a small, confined space, or, you know, away from your family, et cetera.

Your career has been amazing. Did you always think you would be an astronaut?

Well, it was kind of a long road for me. I was nine years old when Neil Armstrong took his first step on the moon and you know, even at nine I felt that was very inspiring. And that’s why I hope we can inspire those young minds the same age, because for me it’s just stuck. And even though I was a farm kid and farm girl, I really didn’t know if this would be an option for me. But that was my dream. And it wasn’t until I graduated high school and NASA picked its first female astronaut that I really felt, hey, this, this is possible, I can do this. Two of the astronauts have medical degrees and one has a degree in biochemistry. And I was very interested in biochemistry myself. And so I thought this might really be possible. Fortunately, I had no idea how hard that would be. But I set my path, got my undergraduate and graduate degrees and started working at NASA. Of course, as soon as I got my diploma, I applied to be an astronaut. For 10 years I applied and was denied. And I always like to tell young people that sometimes your path is not always a straight line to reach your goal. Through those 10 years, I can look back now and say those were the 10 years that enabled me to get the training I needed to be selected as the first female commander, to be selected as the first female and non-military leader of the astronaut office. It was those ten years that made it possible. And so, in the end, I got more than I ever dreamed of.

What’s the coolest thing about being in space? Is it a spacewalk?

The coolest mission in space is certainly the spacewalk. You’re out in a spacesuit, it’s basically a small spaceship designed for one person. That was so amazing. I was on a space trip. It was the first suit I ever wore in the United States. I did one EVA in the Russian suit on my first trip. But on my second trip, I did a spacewalk. And I pulled out a box – it was a baseband signal processor, but it had to be changed, and I pulled it out. Then on the back of that was a heat insulating thing, but it was like a reflective mirror. And I saw myself in a spacesuit. And I see the solar arrays and the Earth behind me and I’m like, “I’m an astronaut!” It was very special.

When you take another spaceflight, what is your dream crew? Are there specific people you would like to travel to space with? It could be anyone.

I think, you know, flying with three rookies was so much fun, because it allowed me to recreate the experience again and again. I would pick anyone who wants to be part of a team, because that’s what makes Crews special to me is the people trying to be part of a team. And so I want people who want to make and build that.