The Axiom 1 mission is docked at the International Space Station
The crew of the historic Axiom 1 mission joined the International Space Station (ISS)’s space-facing Port of Harmony on Saturday morning after delays.
Soft capture was confirmed at 8:29 AM ET and docking was reported as “complete” at 8:41 AM ET.
Success came after minutes of waiting for space travel because of the station video Steering issue.
The Crew Dragon Endeavor was initially expected to dock at 7:45 AM ET, but was held 20 meters from the station as station crew worked to troubleshoot the problem.
Axiom Space launches first-ever private mission to ISS: ‘The Beginning of Many Beginnings’
A NASA live broadcast stated that the crew could have been parked in this position for about two hours.
The Dragon Endeavor slot was previously expected to open around 9:30 AM ET, with a welcome party taking place shortly after.
Ax-1, the first mission with a completely private crew to reach the orbiting laboratory, Launched From NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 11:17 a.m. ET Friday on SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
The crew of the 10-day flight includes former NASA astronaut Michael Lopez-Alegria and pusher passengers Larry Connor, Mark Pathy and Eitan Stipe. Pay the three businessmen 55 million dollars Plot.
Astronauts will participate in multiple disciplines Science program, including a thunderstorm observation experiment initiated by Ilan Ramon, who died aboard the Columbia in 2003.
They’re not there to stick their noses in the window,” said Michael Suffredini, co-founder and president of Axiom and a former director of the NASA space station program, in a statement.
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NASA said the mission represented “the culmination of NASA’s efforts to promote a commercial market in low Earth orbit and the beginning of a new era of space exploration that enables more people to fly on more types of missions.”
SpaceX’s Crew Dragon Endeavor and crew of Ax-1 astronauts dock at the International Space Station (ISS) (FOX Business / FOXBusiness)
Friday’s flight is the second private charter flight for SpaceX, which the billionaire and his guests have taken on a three-day trip over the past year.
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Next year, Axiom Space aims to conduct its second private flight to the space station.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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