• Ar
  • Es
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Feature
  • Videos
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Feature
Videos
Infographs
In Pictures
  1. Home
  2. News
  3. US & Canada
  4. First private mission reaches ISS
US & Canada

First private mission reaches ISS

  • By Al Mayadeen Net
  • Source: Agencies
  • 10 Apr 2022 11:45

NASA has welcomed the three-way collaboration with Axiom and SpaceX as a critical step toward commercializing the region of space known as "Low Earth Orbit."

  • First private mission reaches ISS
    The first private mission reaches ISS.

The first private expedition, led by the startup company Axiom Space, arrived at the International Space Station early Saturday.

NASA has welcomed the three-way collaboration with Axiom and SpaceX as a critical step toward commercializing the region of space known as "Low Earth Orbit," which will let the agency focus on more ambitious missions deeper into space.

After launching from Florida's Kennedy Space Center on Friday, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Crew Dragon spacecraft Endeavor arrived at 12:29 GMT Saturday, and the crew entered the space station about two hours later.

Former NASA astronaut Michael Lopez-Alegria, a dual citizen of the United States and Spain, will lead the Axiom Mission 1 (Ax-1) mission. He has flown to space four times in his 20-year career, most recently in 2007.

Read more: NASA having difficulty keeping ISS afloat without Russian support

The widely reported ticket price is $55 million, which includes eight days on the outpost before a final splashdown in the Atlantic.

While affluent private persons have previously visited the International Space Station, Ax-1 is the first mission with an all-private crew piloting a private spacecraft to the outpost.

Axiom, based in Houston, pays SpaceX for transportation, while NASA charges Axiom for the usage of the ISS.

Research on ISS

25 research projects will be conducted on the ISS, which orbits 250 miles (400 kilometers) above sea level, including an MIT technological demonstration of smart tiles that create a robotic swarm and self-assemble into space architecture.

Another experiment involves growing tiny tumors from cancer stem cells and then exploiting the accelerated aging environment of microgravity to uncover biomarkers for cancer diagnosis.

"Our guys aren't going up there and floating around for eight days taking pictures and looking out of the cupola," Derek Hassmann, operations director of Axiom Space, told reporters at a pre-launch briefing.

  • United States
  • International Space Station
  • Space X
  • NASA

Trending Now

All
The International Space Station (ISS) photographed by Expedition 56 crew members from a Soyuz spacecraft after undocking, October 4, 2018. NASA/Roscosmos/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo

Russia to NASA: Sticking with ISS until at least 2028

Most Read

Indonesian president Joko Widodo during an interview in Jakarta in 2016 (Reuters)

Widodo urges Indonesia to abandon Visa, MasterCard to be 'independent'

  • Asia
  • 16 Mar
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen listens to opening remarks before testifying before the Senate Finance Committee about the President's proposed budget request for the fiscal year 2024, Thursday, March 16, 2023, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP)

US Debt ceiling ‘must be raised’ ahead of default: Treasury Secretary

  • US & Canada
  • 16 Mar
The Desert of the Real; Russia's SMO a year later

The Desert of the Real; Russia's SMO a year later

  • Europe
  • 14 Mar
Rallies held in Washington DC to protest US militarism

Peace rallies held in Washington DC to protest US militarism

  • US & Canada
  • 18 Mar

Read this

All
Estonian troops parade in Narva, Estonia (AP)
Europe

NATO weighs deploying 300,000 troops on Russia's borders

  • 19 Mar
UK Home Secretary visits Rwanda to push for migrant deportation plan
Africa

UK expands criticized migrant deportation deal with Rwanda

  • 19 Mar
Trucks carrying humanitarian aid are seen at the Bab al Hawa border crossing with Syria on  February 9, 2023. (Reuters)
MENA

Syrian Red Crescent: Militants prevent aid convoys from entering Idlib

  • 19 Mar
Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani holds a press conference in Tehran on July 13, 2022. (AFP)
Europe

Iran lambasts French police over excessive violence against protesters

  • 19 Mar
Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS