On Monday (May 22), a SpaceX capsule carrying two Saudi astronauts successfully docked with the International Space Station (ISS) as part of a private mission chartered by Axiom Space.
The Dragon capsule, propelled by a Falcon rocket, launched from the Kennedy Space Station in Cape Canaveral, Florida on Sunday. It transported the crew members of Axiom Mission 2 (AX-2) for a weeklong stay at the ISS.
The AX-2 mission is led by former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson and includes paying customers pilot John Shoffner, as well as mission specialists Ali Alqarni and Rayyanah Barnawi from Saudi Arabia. Barnawi, a cancer stem-cell researcher, is Saudi Arabia’s first female astronaut, aiming to advance breast cancer research during her time at the ISS. The crew will conduct research and scientific experiments after opening the hatch to the space station.
Barnawi expressed her gratitude from outer space, emphasizing that she represents the hopes and dreams of people back home and in the region. Shoffner also shared his excitement about the launch and the work they will accomplish in space. Whitson, a former NASA astronaut with three previous voyages, echoed their enthusiasm.
In April last year, SpaceX sent the first all-private astronaut team to the ISS, a significant moment in the commercialization of low-Earth orbit, praised by industry executives and NASA. This is the second entirely private mission to visit the space station, following the first in April 2022. The AX-2 crew will remain on the ISS for around 10 days and conduct approximately 20 experiments.
NASA aims to foster a commercial space economy in the low-Earth orbit region, allowing the agency to focus on missions deeper into the solar system and beyond.
The SpaceX rocket departed from Florida on Sunday, and the journey to the ISS, which orbits approximately 250 miles (400 kilometers) above Earth, lasted about 16 hours.
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