The United States and its allies have slapped hefty sanctions on Russia, and the country has retaliated in numerous ways, including by refusing to sell Russian rocket engines to US companies. US-Russian relations on the ground, however, have hit a fever pitch amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Russia is the United States’ primary partner on the ISS, and the space station has long been hailed as a symbol of post-Cold War cooperation. Is it safe to go to the ISS, given the Russia conflict? Chris Gunn for Axiom Spaceįor more about the three paying customers, check out our coverage here. The space agency has revealed some details on how much it’ll charge for use of its 20-year-old orbiting laboratory.Īx-1 Crew (left to right) Larry Connor, Mark Pathy, Michael López-Alegría, and Eytan Stibbe. The mission is made possible by very close coordination among Axiom, SpaceX and NASA, since the ISS is government-funded and operated. Axiom previously disclosed a price of $55 million per seat for a 10-day trip to the ISS, but the company declined to comment on the financial terms for this specific mission beyond saying in a press conference last year that the price is in the “tens of millions.” It’s not clear how much this mission cost. Last year, for example, a Russian actress and film crew visited the ISS to film part of a movie in an historic first. It’s not the first time paying customers or otherwise non-astronauts have visited the ISS, as Russia has sold seats on its Soyuz spacecraft to various wealthy thrill seekers in years past. #Ax1 crew welcomed by the crews as they leave Dragon and enter into their home for the next 8 days /ewgYizC2Kv- Axiom Space April 9, 2022Īfter reaching the ISS aboard their SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft, they joined seven professional astronauts already on board the space station - including three NASA astronauts, a German astronaut, and three Russian cosmonauts. On board this mission, called AX-1, are Michael Lopez-Alegría, a former NASA astronaut turned Axiom employee who is commanding the mission Israeli businessman Eytan Stibbe Canadian investor Mark Pathy and Ohio-based real estate magnate Larry Connor. It’s all in line with the US government’s and the private sector’s goal to boost commercial activity on the ISS and beyond. The trip was brokered by the Houston, Texas-based startup Axiom Space, which seeks to book rocket rides, provide all the necessary training, and coordinate flights to the ISS for anyone who can afford it. And the spacecraft, which separated from the rocket after reaching orbit, spent about 20 hours free flying through orbit as it maneuvered closer to the ISS. The mission launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Friday morning. The SpaceX Ax-1 Dragon capsule approaches the International Space Station, with the moon in the background.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |