SpaceX to bring private citizens to ISS as it is set to launch the first-ever all-civilian space flight

SpaceX is set to fly four private citizens to space, and it was confirmed that four people will be able to ride the Crew Dragon capsule, and they will be staying at the International Space Station for about a week.

This mission has been called the AX-1, and it will be the very first flight to space where the crew is made up of ordinary civilians. It was reported that they will be flying to the ISS on or some time after January 2022.

The plan for the all-civilian space flight

The project will send four ordinary people to the ISS, where they will stay for eight days. As per SpaceX, this mission is a significant step for its Crew Dragon capsule that was specially designed for transporting people from Earth to the ISS.

Mainly, this spacecraft is for sending NASA astronauts to orbit, but SpaceX will also start using it for flying private citizens to the same destination as well. It was reported that this multimillion-dollar trip aboard the SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft is being funded by Jared Isaacman, a businessman running a payment processing company.

The 37-year-old Isaacman said that he will be commanding the mission and will see the space vehicle make a trip into Earth's orbit. CNN Business reported that he bought three more seats for the mission, and these will be donated to a St. Jude Children's Research Hospital "ambassador."

The first private citizens to be sent to space

The historic Axiom Mission 1 (Ax-1) will be composed of four civilian crews and Michael López-Alegría, a former NASA astronaut who is now Axiom’s vice president. He will be the flight’s commander, and those who will join him are Larry Connor, an entrepreneur, and non-profit activist investor; Mark Pathy, Canadian investor and philanthropist; Eytan Stibbe, impact investor and philanthropist from Israel, and the fourth one will be named later.

The public is asked to enter the draw for a chance to join the trip, but it was mentioned that only Isaacman’s Shift4Shop’s customers are eligible to forward their entries. He will be the fourth crew, and the winner is expected to be announced soon.

“I look forward to leading this crew and to their next meaningful and productive contributions to the human story, both on orbit and back home,” López-Alegría said via press release.