A USA startup company Axiom Space, launched Axiom Mission with a four-member crew. It reached the International Space Station (ISS). It is the first fully private mission.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the Crew Dragon capsule Endeavor launched from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida.
The Axiom astronauts will be in orbit for around 10 days before returning to Earth.
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NASA has attempted to hand over the reins of space exploration to private companies. This will allow NASA to focus on more ambitious voyages deeper into the cosmos.
NASA has welcomed the three-way collaboration with Axiom and SpaceX as a critical step toward commercialising the “Low Earth Orbit” sector of space.
The ISS is set to be decommissioned in 2031. NASA is hoping that a privately owned station will be able to take its place when it has been decommissioned. The advent of private space-faring companies appears to validate NASA's hopes.