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Updated May 31st, 2023 at 19:39 IST

Axiom Space's private astronauts return after spending 10 days in ISS; WATCH

Axiom Space's private crew was launched by SpaceX from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on May 22 and the mission ended with a splashdown on May 31.

Reported by: Harsh Vardhan
Axiom Space
"The Ax-2 mission is a critical step along the journey toward Axiom Station, the world’s first commercial space station!" Axiom Space tweeted. (Image: SpaceX) | Image:self
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The four-person private crew launched to Space on May 22 returned home after spending roughly 10 days aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The crew was part of Axiom Space's Axiom-2 or Ax-2 mission which was launched by SpaceX from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. This historic mission, which saw Saudi Arabia launch its first female astronaut, ended with a splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico at 8:34 am on May 31. 

Splashdown of Dragon confirmed – welcome back to Earth, @AstroPeggy, @JohnPShoffner, @AstroAli11, and @Astro_Rayyanah pic.twitter.com/2kXUO8FDlv

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) May 31, 2023

Apart from the first female Saudi astronaut Rayyanah Barnawi, the Ax-2 crew included retired NASA astronaut and commander Peggy Whitson, John Shoffner (mission pilot) and another Saudi natioanl Ali AlQarni. Just a day before their departure from the space station, the astronauts thanked the rest of the ISS crew for their hospitality and underscored how their commercial visit will encourage space travel. With the departure of the Ax-2 crew, there are seven astronauts in orbit now. 

While Whitson has been on multiple space expeditions and holds a record of spending 675 days in Space, it was the first spaceflight for the other three members. Notably, Shoffner was the only paying customer in Ax-2 although the amount is undisclosed. For context, however, three of the four members (barring Axiom's vice president) of the Ax-1 mission which launched in April 2022 reportedly paid around $55 million each. 

However, both the mission teams conducted science experiments in orbit such as on stem cell, human physiology and physical sciences among other areas. "The crew is returning with a plethora of data. The Ax-2 mission is a critical step along the journey toward Axiom Station, the world’s first commercial space station!" Axiom Space tweeted after the splashdown. 

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Published May 31st, 2023 at 19:39 IST

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