The Ax-1, the first private mission to the International Space Station (ISS), has successfully completed a dock maneuver. The flight, operated by Space X, the company of magnate Elon Musk, thus completed a 22-hour journey from Earth. The mission involves the performance of 25 scientific experiments and is considered the first step in the construction of a commercial space station.
The Axiom capsule came into contact with the ISS at 8:29 ET (Eastern time, 14:39 Spanish time), a little less than an hour after the initial forecast, and after appropriate maneuvers, the flight crew. They managed to enter the station.
Four members of the crew, the company Axiom Space, will spend eight days at the station. Michael Lopez-Allegria, the commander of the mission, is the only experienced astronaut. Born in Madrid but of American nationality, he first flew into space with NASA in 1995. Its three companions are newcomers: they are investors who each paid $ 55 million for a spaceflight ticket.
Among the studies agreed with various scientific and academic institutes, experiments on satellite self-assembly technology, the study of future cosmic habitats, cancer stem cells, and air purification systems.
The first step towards a commercial space station
The Ax-1 mission, in addition to being the first commercial visit to the ISS, is the second fully commercial flight to orbit since the Inspiration4 mission last September, also with private funding and also in the SpaceX Dragon capsule.
As it was mentioned at the press conference on Thursday before the launch this Friday, the Ax-1 will be of a scientific nature and its members will carry out “innovative” research experiments in the so-called. While in an orbital laboratory.
Derek Hasman, Axiom Space Operations Director, stressed the importance of the mission with the Texas-based company aiming to build the next commercial space station from 2024 to 2030, which will be connected to the ISS.
“This is the first of several missions to continue in 2024 that will test our capabilities,” Hasman added.
Source: El Diario
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
