The mission to transport the first all-civilian crew to the ISS by SpaceX successfully landed in the ocean off the coast of Florida, extending more than a week beyond its original schedule.
The Crew Dragon capsule being pulled onto the boat. (Photo: Axiom)
The AX-1 Mission was introduced by the startup Axiom Space based in Houston, Texas. This company is responsible for ticket sales via rocket, training, and coordinating flights to the ISS for any paying passengers. The four-member crew included Michael López-Alegría, a former NASA astronaut and mission commander, Israeli businessman Eytan Stibbe, Canadian investor Mark Pathy, and real estate investor Larry Connor from Ohio.
Landing at sea is considered one of the most dangerous phases of the mission. The Crew Dragon capsule travels at speeds exceeding 27,358 km/h. As it begins the final phase of descent, the exterior of the spacecraft heats up to 1,926 degrees Celsius while plummeting through the densest layers of Earth’s atmosphere. Inside the cabin, passengers are protected by a heat shield, and the temperature remains below 29.4 degrees Celsius.
The Crew Dragon then deployed its parachutes while descending into the Atlantic Ocean. Nearby rescue teams were on standby to pull the capsule from the water and transfer it to a special boat named “Dragon’s Nest” for final checks before the crew disembarked.
Originally, the AX-1 mission was scheduled to launch on April 8 and last for 10 days, but it ultimately extended to 17 days, with 15 days spent at the ISS due to poor weather conditions. Axiom has not disclosed the cost of the mission. Previously, the company stated that each seat for the flight to the ISS was priced at $55 million. The flight is the result of close collaboration between Axiom, SpaceX, and NASA.
AX-1 is the first mission with an entirely civilian crew, with no members from government agencies. This also marks the first time civilians have traveled to the ISS aboard a spacecraft manufactured in the United States.
