Major Step For Commercialization Of Low Earth Orbit Taken As Axiom-1 Mission To ISS Completed

This afternoon, Axiom-1 (Ax-1) successfully completed the first all-private astronaut mission to the International Space Station (ISS), as per a PR Newswire report.

Photo Insert: The Axiom-1 crew: (Left to Right) Mark Pathy, Larry Connor, Michael López-Alegría, Eytan Stibbe

SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft (launch provider for this historic mission) splashed off the coast of Florida, carrying four Axiom Space astronauts: Commander and former NASA astronaut Michael López-Alegría, Pilot Larry Connor, and Mission Specialists Eytan Stibbe and Mark Pathy.

During their mission on the space station, the Ax-1 astronauts conducted dozens of research experiments, including more than 25 investigations sponsored by the ISS National Laboratory.

The ISS National Lab-sponsored investigations on Ax-1 included a range of projects that sought to enable discoveries that bring value to humanity and further sustained business models in low Earth orbit.

Axiom is an ISS National Lab Commercial Service Provider, and through this partnership, will continue to launch and support future investigations onboard the orbiting laboratory, such as:

• An experiment testing a Bio-Monitor smart shirt system. The system intends to monitor the vital signs of crew members and assess the effects of spaceflight on their heart, lungs, and circulatory systems. The investigation sought to demonstrate the potential for using the platform to autonomously monitor the health of astronauts on future long-duration missions and specific applications on Earth. The system also has the potential to help those who are bedridden, housebound, or living in rural communities where there is limited access to medical support. Workers may also wear it in dangerous environments such as mines, industrial sites, and factories.

• An experiment testing the EEG Sense System, a portable electroencephalography (EEG) headset used to measure Ax-1 astronauts' brain activity at rest and during cognitive tasks before, during, and after the mission. The study results will provide actionable insights for facilitating cognitive wellness assessments of astronauts on long-term space missions.

• Demonstrations of TESSERAE's self-assembling space architecture, which could be used to build structures in orbit. Ax-1 astronauts studied TESSARAE's orbiting modules to assess the feasibility of in-orbit construction of satellites and future space habitats, including space hotels, to support the coming waves of space tourists.

"Congratulations to Axiom Space and SpaceX on this historic first for human spaceflight in low Earth orbit," said Ray Lugo, chief executive officer for the ISS National Laboratory. "This mission demonstrated access to space is growing, and we look forward to the results derived from this initial private astronaut mission. We hope that this mission strengthens future conversations with researchers, companies, and other organizations on the potential of not only launching research to the orbiting laboratory but actually becoming a participant in space-based inquiries themselves."

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