Axiom Space, the organizer of NASA’s first space mission to the ISS, says the mission will now set a new date of March 31 due to “extra preparations for the mission and the rush at the space station.” The Texas-based company cited multiple ISS spacecraft from late February to early March, according to technology site Digital Trends.
The AX-1 space tourism mission, dubbed the “Private Space Mission” by NASA, will last about a week. It is run by Canadian investor and philanthropist Mark Patty, American entrepreneur Larry Connor and former Israeli Air Force pilot Eaton Steve. Former NASA astronaut Michael Lopez-Allegri will continue as mission commander.
The X-1 mission will launch the Crew Dragon spacecraft using the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Four crew members will go to ISS. Similarly they will return from ISS.
Half, Connor and Steve each paid about five and a half million dollars for space travel. During this visit they will work on research and public welfare projects. This will include various activities related to health.
NASA and the Russian space agency Roscosmos have plans to raise funds for ISS. In such commercial missions, the opportunities for ordinary citizens to go into space are increasing. Only the very rich can take advantage of it.
Although the AX-1 is NASA’s first experience in space tourism, Roscosmos has been conducting such missions for years. In December, Roscosmos aboard the Soyuz spacecraft carried two Japanese astronauts to ISS. They returned to Earth after spending 12 days in space.
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