Axiom announces crew for first private ISS mission

A commercial Crew Dragon mission to the International Space Station early next year chartered by Axiom Space will carry four private astronauts.

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The three men are paying $55 million each to fly aboard a SpaceX rocket for an eight-day visit to the International Space Station, organised by Houston-based spaceflight firm Axiom.

The Axiom Mission 1 (AX 1) flight is being arranged under a commercial agreement with NASA.

The mission will be led by former NASA astronaut Michael Lopez-Alegria, who now works for Axiom space.

While private citizens have travelled to space before, the AX 1 mission will be the first to use a commercially built spacecraft, the SpaceX Dragon 2, best known for flying its first two crews to the ISS late last year.