Recent reports from the space tourism firm Axiom Space states their plan to commence the first-ever launch of a private crew up to the International Space Station (ISS).
Ax-1 Mission at International Space Station
Astronaut James H. Newman waves at the camera as he holds onto one of the handrails on the Unity connecting module during the early stages of a 7-hour, 21-minute spacewalk spent connecting 40 cables and connectors running 76 feet from the Zarya control module to the Unity module, the first sections of the International Space Station December 8, 1998.
According to previous coverage, the launch will be led by Michael Lopez-Algeria, a NASA veteran that flew a series of Space Shuttle missions and a separate ISS project. Among the passengers of the upcoming Ax-1 mission will consist of investors.
The Ax-1 will not be an expensive adventure trip despite what it looks like, the commander explained. The ISS mission will be purely dedicated to scientific studies instead of a 'just-for-fun' space journey of billionaire entrepreneurs.
Draken International and Shift4 founder Jared Isaacman, a fellow billionaire entrepreneur, agreed with Lopez-Algeria regarding the statement despite not being included in the crew mission, Futurism reports.
The Ax-1 crew is expected to undergo a series of training before joining the launch to the ISS. But putting aside their intent to collaborate with the mission, the individuals are more tourists than scientists, who are supposed to fly in space.
Alongside Lopez-Alegria, three people will board the SpaceX spacecraft Crew Dragon. These same passengers are also investors and businessmen listed on the Axiom website. Among them, crew member Eytan Stibbe acquired fighter pilot experience under Israel's Air Force.
The Ax-1 mission, according to Axiom, will be flown with humanitarian leaders for "full realization of Low Earth's possibilities." The mission will run in eight consecutive days aboard the ISS and will take part in conducting several studies regarding microgravity.
Axiom said that the mission would carry out a set of researches on "behalf of major organizations," including medicinal and health institutes as well as technology enterprises.
ALSO READ: Russia's Chelyabinsk Meteorite Reveal Collisions Behind Moon Formation
Why Real Scientists are Absent in Space Missions
Questions about the billionaire-filled ISS mission surfaced following the launch. Many economic analysts and scholars agree that scientists are more fit to process the research than investors.
The mission is partnered with prestigious firms such as Mayo Clinic and Israel Space Agency. Since scientific operations back up the launch, people doubt the milestones Ax-1 will achieve credibility.
However, the space missions without real scientists are deeper than it seems. Private tourism companies are fond of sending people on space, but the trips are only limited to the small population who can afford them.
SpaceX, for example, succeeded in its 2021 Inspiration4 mission. The venture was led by Isaacman, along with passengers who specialize in physics, geology, and astronomy. Isaacman was fit for the mission due to his expertise on military flights and his ability to cash in a staggering amount of funds for the venture.
Although it challenges our perspective on the matter, there is still hope for a number of scientists to join future space missions. The desire to seek knowledge outside our planet's boundaries is not limited to a group of people but is open to each of Earth's residents.
Understanding the vast cosmos is essential, but along with it, investing in real scientists must be first acknowledged to get more comprehensive and outstanding results from the expensive space studies.
RELATED ARTICLE: Mexican Nanorobots Set to Explore the Moon in First-of-Its-Kind Scientific Mission
Check out more news and information on Space in Science Times.