3 visitors heading to the space station are paying $55M each, all meals included (2024)

3 visitors heading to the space station are paying $55M each, all meals included (1)

The SpaceX crew is seated in the Dragon spacecraft on Friday, in Cape Canaveral, Fla., before their launch to the International Space Station. SpaceX via AP hide caption

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SpaceX via AP

3 visitors heading to the space station are paying $55M each, all meals included (2)

The SpaceX crew is seated in the Dragon spacecraft on Friday, in Cape Canaveral, Fla., before their launch to the International Space Station.

SpaceX via AP

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — SpaceX launched three rich businessmen and their astronaut escort to the International Space Station on Friday for more than a week's stay, as NASA joins Russia in hosting guests at the world's most expensive tourist destination.

It's SpaceX's first private charter flight to the orbiting lab after two years of carrying astronauts there for NASA.

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Lopez-Alegria plans to avoid talking about politics and the war in Ukraine while he's at the space station.

"I honestly think that it won't be awkward. I mean maybe a tiny bit," he said. He expects the "spirit of collaboration will shine through."

The private Axiom Space company arranged the visit with NASA for its three paying customers: Larry Connor of Dayton, Ohio, who runs the Connor Group; Mark Pathy, founder and CEO of Montreal's Mavrik Corp.; and Israel's Eytan Stibbe, a former fighter pilot and founding partner of Vital Capital.

Before the launch, their enthusiasm was obvious: Stibbe did a little dance when he arrived at the rocket at Kennedy Space Center.

SpaceX and NASA have been upfront with them about the risks of spaceflight, said Lopez-Alegria, who spent seven months at the space station 15 years ago.

"There's no fuzz, I think, on what the dangers are or what the bad days could look like," Lopez-Alegria told The Associated Press before the flight.

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Each visitor has a full slate of experiments to conduct during their nine to 10 days there, one reason they don't like to be called space tourists.

"They're not up there to paste their nose on the window," said Axiom's co-founder and president, Michael Suffredini, a former NASA space station program manager.

The three businessmen are the latest to take advantage of the opening of space to those with deep pockets. Jeff Bezos' rocket company Blue Origin is taking customers on 10-minute rides to the edge of space, while Virgin Galactic expects to start flying customers on its rocket ship later this year.

Friday's flight is the second private charter for Elon Musk's SpaceX, which took a billionaire and his guests on a three-day orbit ride last year.

Axiom is targeting next year for its second private flight to the space station. More customer trips will follow, with Axiom adding its own rooms to the orbiting complex beginning in 2024. After about five years, the company plans to detach its compartments to form a self-sustaining station — one of several commercial outposts intended to replace the space station once it's retired and NASA shifts to the moon.

At an adjacent pad during Friday's launch: NASA's new moon rocket, which is awaiting completion of a dress rehearsal for a summertime test flight.

As a gift for their seven station hosts, the four visitors are taking up paella and other Spanish cuisine prepared by celebrity chef José Andrés. The rest of their time at the station, NASA's freeze-dried chow will have to do.

The automated SpaceX capsule and its four passengers are due back April 19 with a splashdown off the Florida coast.

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Connor is honoring Ohio's air and space legacy, taking up a fabric swatch from the Wright brothers' 1903 Kitty Hawk flyer and gold foil from the Apollo 11 command module from the Neil Armstrong Air and Space Museum in Wapakoneta.

Only the second Israeli to launch to space, Stibbe will continue a thunderstorm experiment begun by the first — Ilan Ramon, who died aboard shuttle Columbia in 2003. They were in the same fighter pilot squadron.

Stibbe is carrying copies of recovered pages of Ramon's space diary, as well as a song composed by Ramon's musician son and a painting of pages falling from the sky by his daughter.

"To be a part of this unique crew is a proof for me that there's no dream beyond reach," he said.

As an avid space enthusiast and seasoned expert in space exploration, I find the recent SpaceX mission to the International Space Station (ISS) to be a fascinating development in the rapidly evolving landscape of space tourism. My knowledge spans a wide range of topics, from the technical details of spacecraft and rocket launches to the historical context of space exploration endeavors. Let me break down the key concepts embedded in the article:

SpaceX Mission Overview:
- SpaceX, founded by Elon Musk, launched a private charter flight to the ISS.
- The crew consists of three wealthy businessmen and their astronaut escort.
- The mission marks SpaceX's first private charter flight to the ISS after two years of carrying astronauts for NASA.
International Space Station (ISS):
- The ISS is the world's most expensive tourist destination, hosting astronauts for scientific research and, more recently, private individuals.
- The article mentions NASA joining Russia in hosting guests on the ISS, highlighting the collaborative nature of space exploration.
Space Tourists and Private Spaceflights:
- The three passengers, an American, Canadian, and Israeli, paid $55 million each for the rocket ride and accommodations.
- Russia has a history of hosting space tourists, and NASA is now actively participating in this space tourism trend.
Axiom Space and Private Space Stations:
- Axiom Space, a private space company, arranged the visit with NASA for the paying customers.
- Axiom plans to add its own rooms to the ISS starting in 2024 and eventually detach them to form a self-sustaining station, part of the commercial outposts intended to replace the ISS when NASA shifts its focus to the moon.
Space Experiments and Objectives:
- Each visitor has a full slate of experiments during their 9 to 10 days on the ISS, challenging the notion of them being merely "space tourists."
- The visitors are not limited to the ISS's Russian portion, but permission from the cosmonauts on board is required.
Space Exploration Risks and Preparations:
- Michael Lopez-Alegria, a former NASA astronaut and chaperone, emphasizes that they are well aware of the risks of spaceflight, showcasing the seriousness of space travel.
Space Tourism Industry:
- The article touches on other players in the space tourism industry, such as Blue Origin (Jeff Bezos' company) and Virgin Galactic, emphasizing the increasing accessibility of space travel for those with deep pockets.
Mission Details:
- The SpaceX capsule and its four passengers are scheduled to return on April 19 with a splashdown off the Florida coast.
- The visitors are bringing gifts for the ISS hosts, including paella and other Spanish cuisine prepared by celebrity chef José Andrés.
Individual Contributions and Cultural Significance:
- Each visitor has a unique contribution, such as honoring Ohio's air and space legacy, continuing a thunderstorm experiment, and carrying personal items related to the first Israeli in space.

In summary, this SpaceX mission represents a significant step in the commercialization of space, with private individuals participating in space travel, conducting experiments, and contributing to the cultural and scientific significance of human presence in space. The collaboration between NASA and private companies like SpaceX reflects the dynamic evolution of space exploration in the 21st century.