Axiom reveals private crew pays $ 55 million each for trip to space station

Three civilians could be directed to the International space station. Houston-based space tourism company Axiom Space announced on Tuesday that it will send a crew of three private citizens, along with its vice president and former NASA astronaut Michael López-Alegría, to the ISS for a stay. eight days, no earlier than January 2022.

The crew includes American entrepreneur and investor Larry Connor, who will be the pilot; Canadian philanthropist and investor Mark Pathy; and Eytan Stibbe, a former Israeli Air Force pilot who is also an investor and a philanthropist. To get to the ISS, they will hitchhike on the SpaceX Crew Dragon.

The crew will live aboard the U.S. segment of the ISS during the proposed mission and participate in research and philanthropic projects, according to Axiom. Some of the proposed collaborations include work with the Mayo Clinic, the Montreal Children’s Hospital and the Canadian Space Agency. Stibbe also plans to conduct science experiments on Israeli researchers and contractors coordinated by the Ramon Foundation and the Israel Space Agency, the space company said.

“As much as any astronaut who came before them, the members of this crew accomplished the kinds of things in life that equip them to accept this responsibility, act on this revelation and have a truly global impact,” said López. -Alegría in a report.

Axiom plans to offer a new commercial gateway to space, allowing researchers, industrialists and wealthy tourists, among other things, to visit orbit for business or pleasure.

In 2018, the New York Times reported that the price of a trip like this would be $ 55 million per person and cover 15 weeks of training.

Last year, NASA said it would be attach a private room to rent on the ISS, provided by Axiom.