Friday Morning, The First
All-private astronaut mission to the International Space Station (ISS) is slated to launch from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Merritt Island, Florida
The Four-Person Crew
The four-person crew comprising the Axiom Space Mission 1 (Ax-1) will fly to the ISS aboard the SpaceX Dragon Endeavour on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
Private Citizens Or "Space Tourists"
Have traveled to the ISS before, alongside government-affiliated astronauts. This mission, however, is different
The Entirely Private Crew
Will spend eight days living and working aboard the ISS -- they are far from "tourists"
The Mission Represents
A huge milestone for NASA and its private partners as they seek to build a sustainable space economy.
The Crew Will Be Led
By Commander Michael López-Alegría, who was born in Spain, raised in California, and spent 20 years as a NASA astronaut.