NASA has revealed new details about its upcoming mission as a private astronaut

NASA will work with Axiom Space, a private US space infrastructure development company, on the second special astronauts’ mission to the International Space Station.

According to information provided by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the entity will negotiate with Axiom an order agreement for the Axiom 2 (X-2) mission, which is expected to launch between fall 2022 and the end of spring 2023.

First known details of the next special mission to the International Space Station

The Ax-2 mission will be 14 days long, coupled with the space station, and its main purposes will be scientific research and the development of outreach activities. It will take off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, as announced with this Ads.

NASA and Axiom will negotiate in-orbit activities by private astronauts in coordination with space station crew members and flight controllers on the ground. The crew selection process will be carried out by NASA and its international partners, who will review Axiom’s special astronaut proposals for this Ax-2 mission, applying the criteria under which any space crew is sent.

NASA evaluated the mission proposal based on Axiom’s ability to successfully implement it, NASA’s ability to support it, its contribution to the mission and the LEO Marketing Agency’s goal. This mission is subject to NASA’s updated pricing policy for special astronaut missions, which reflects the full value of the costs to the agency that are beyond the space station’s baseline capabilities.”NASA said in a statement.

The first private astronaut mission from Axiom to the space station, The Axiom mission 1 (Ax-1), slated for release from February 21, 2022 relatively, but not sooner. Axiom’s proposed crew members are still completing final evaluations from NASA and its international partners.

The agency hasn’t named a third, eventual private astronaut mission yet. The experience gained after these first two assignments will be subject to study to apply lessons learned prior to any future announcement.

Banner photo: The International Space Station, as seen from SpaceX’s Dragon Endeavor Crew in November 2021 (NASA).