Elon Musk’s SpaceX has announced that a deal has been put in place to send tourists to space as a part of the first private trip of the International Space Station ever.
While lucky three tourists will be able to see our planet from space in person, the trip, which is set to take place during summer 2021, will likely cost a fortune.
As SpaceX revealed, the trip will be made possible thanks to the collaboration with Axiom Space, a startup company with the goal of taking tourists and other individuals to space, in particular to the International Space Station.
While tourists have previously been to ISS, the company explained the upcoming event will represent “the first-ever fully private” trip.
Furthermore, the chosen three tourists, who will fly to the ISS on SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, will have the honor of staying on the station for a minimum of eight days.
“This history-making flight will represent a watershed moment in the march toward universal and routine access to space,” Axiom CEO Michael Suffredini expressed in a statement.
“This will be just the first of many missions to ISS to be completely crewed and managed by Axiom Space – a first for a commercial entity.
“Procuring the transportation marks significant progress toward that goal, and we’re glad to be working with SpaceX in this effort.”
Confirming the collaboration and joint efforts to take people to space on a commercial basis, SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell added:
“SpaceX has been delivering cargo to the International Space Station in partnership with NASA and later this year, we will fly NASA astronauts for the first time.
“Now, thanks to Axiom and their support from NASA, privately crewed missions will have unprecedented access to the space station, furthering the commercialization of space and helping usher in a new era of human exploration.”
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