NASA seeks proposals from commercial companies for two new private crewed missions to ISS

On Friday, June 11, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), U.S.A has sought proposals from commercial companies for two new private crewed missions to the International Space Station. The first mission would likely take place between the fall of 2022 and mid-2023, the first mission is expected to take place, and the second one would happen between mid-2023 and the end of 2023. 

Private Astronaut Mission

Private astronaut missions are dedicated missions that are privately funded, fully commercial spaceflights on a commercial launch vehicle for the purpose of enabling tourism, outreach, commercial research, and approved commercial and marketing activities on the space station. These missions must use U.S. transportation vehicles certified by NASA, such as the ones developed by Boeing and SpaceX under NASA's Commercial Crew Program (CCP). 

First Private Astronaut Mission of NASA

In early May, NASA and Axiom Space signed an order for the first private astronaut mission to the International Space Station to take place no earlier than January 2022. The spaceflight, designated as Axiom Mission 1 (Ax-1), will launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida and travel to the International Space Station. Once dropped, the Axiom astronauts are scheduled to spend eight days aboard the orbiting laboratory. For the private astronauts to conduct in coordination, the NASA and Axiom mission planners will coordinate in-orbit activities with space station crew members and flight controllers on the ground. 

Axiom President and CEO Michael Suffredini said, “The first private crew to visit the International Space Station is a watershed moment in humanity’s expansion off the planet and we are glad to partner with NASA in making it happen. A thriving commercial marketplace in low-Earth orbit begins with expanding access to serious, nontraditional users and that is exactly the aim of our private astronaut missions.”

Commercialisation of NASA

As part of NASA's plan to develop a robust and competitive economy in low-Earth orbit, it has opened up the space station for commercial activities, including private astronaut missions. The goal is to achieve this in the sectors such as research on the effects of the space environment on humans, technology development, and in-flight crew testing. Commercial entities can meet those needs, providing destinations and transportation capabilities. To stimulate demand for commercial human spaceflight services so NASA can be one of many customers in low-Earth orbit, it is important to enabling Ax-1.

(With TechCrunch input)

(Image Credit: AP/UNSPLASH)