Status: 08.04.2022 18:44
Private space company SpaceX has sent paying guests to the International Space Station for the first time. Three businessmen and a former NASA astronaut are scheduled to dock with the ISS on Saturday morning.
By Florian Mayer, ARD Studio Washington
Punctually at 11:17 am local time, the first private space mission Axiom AX1 took off for the International Space Station ISS. The launch of the SpaceX “Falcon 9” rocket with the “Dragon” crew capsule at the tip of the Kennedy Space Center in Florida went smoothly under a bright blue sky. As planned, shortly after launch, the capsule with the four astronauts aboard separated from the rocket, which then successfully returned to Earth.
SR Logo Florian Mayer ARD Studio Washington
20 hours through space
The four astronauts – three businessmen from the US, Canada and Israel, plus a former NASA astronaut – are now on a 20-hour journey through space to the International Space Station. They are due to dock there early Saturday morning and be brought aboard the ISS after the two-hour maneuver.
SpaceX rocket brings private and paying guests to the International Space Station for the first time
Jessica Briegmann, ARD Washington, Daily News at 8pm, April 9, 2022
The four privates will stay on the ISS for eight days and carry out various experiments – including research into cancer, the aging process of cells and everything related to people staying in space.
700 hours of training
It is the first space mission from Texas-based private company Axiom in collaboration with SpaceX and NASA. Axiom plans to add its own module to the ISS in two years to allow for stays and research in private spaces. Axiom is planning well over 100 of these missions over the next few years.
The three private astronauts trained for about 700 hours for their eight-day trip to space and each paid $50 million.
First Axiom AX1 private space mission successfully launched
Florian Mayer, ARD Washington, April 8, 2022 6:19 pm