Discussion of Space Tourism and Commercialization

[Grendal]

Axiom-2

NASA completes agreement with Axiom Space for second private astronaut mission

NASA has completed an agreement for a second private astronaut mission to the ISS with Axiom Space, the only company that bid on the opportunity.

spacenews.com

 

[Grendal]

There is an official thread for Tito going around the Moon, but it is also part of this discussion.
Successful older tourism missions:
Inspiration 4
Axiom Mission 1
Also here is a list of SpaceX commercial tourism launches pending:
Polaris Dawn (with more missions planned)
Axiom Mission 2 (up to Mission 4 is in development)
Dear Moon (Starship)
Tito Moon (Starship)

Dennis Tito, world's first space tourist, plans flight around the moon aboard SpaceX Starship

The retired 82-year-old financial analyst, who paid $20 million for a trip to the space station in 2001, is gearing up for a flight around the moon and back.

www.cbsnews.com

 

[Grendal]

Saudi astronauts to fly on Ax-2 mission to ISS - SpaceNews

NASA confirmed Nov. 1 that two astronauts from Saudi Arabia will go to the International Space Station on a private mission in the spring of 2023.

spacenews.com

 

[Grendal]

Governments to be major customers of future Axiom Space private astronaut missions - SpaceNews

Axiom Space says the customers for its upcoming private astronaut missions to the space station are dominated by governments rather than individuals.

spacenews.com

 

[Grendal]

Saudi astronauts selected for Axiom private astronaut mission

The government of Saudi Arabia has announced the two astronauts who will fly to the ISS this spring on a private astronaut mission by Axiom Space.

spacenews.com

 

[Grendal]

Another Crew Dragon launch:

NASA selects Axiom Space for third private astronaut mission to ISS

NASA has approved plans by Axiom Space to fly a third private astronaut mission to the International Space Station as soon as November.

spacenews.com

 

[Electroman]

Not sure what exactly this means? SpaceX will launch the crew on their rocket and spaceship. They will also train the astronauts on their simulator in their facilities.

So what is Axiom doing? Just body shopping trying to find the people who will pay for the ride?

 

[ecarfan]

I presume that Axiom is the customer as far as SpaceX is concerned.

Axiom has plans to build their own space station. See https://www.axiomspace.com/axiom-station

Axiom Space operates missions to the International Space Station (ISS) for customers, including space agencies, companies, and individuals. Axiom Space is also the builder and future owner and operator of Axiom Station, the successor to the ISS.​

​

Axiom Space’s team has peerless space station construction and operations management experience and has been involved with every ISS mission since the program’s inception over two decades ago. Axiom Space is the only company with the privilege of connecting its modules to the ISS during the new station’s assembly in Earth’s orbit.​

​

This connection allows Axiom Space to build the successor station cost-effectively, while adopting the multinational user base and select hardware from the ISS.​

 

[Cosmacelf]

Not sure what exactly this means? SpaceX will launch the crew on their rocket and spaceship. They will also train the astronauts on their simulator in their facilities.

So what is Axiom doing? Just body shopping trying to find the people who will pay for the ride?

There is value in marketing a space tourism product and finding and vetting well heeled people and governments to pay for such. So, yes, today Axiom is really just a sales agent for SpaceX, but that’s still a valuable role.

 

[Electroman]

I am not commenting if they are playing a valuable role or not.

Just that NASA contracting a marketing activity to a third party supplier to sell NASA and SpaceX services… is strange

 

[ecarfan]

I am not commenting if they are playing a valuable role or not.

Just that NASA contracting a marketing activity to a third party supplier to sell NASA and SpaceX services… is strange

Axiom is more than just a marketing agent for NASA, because NASA has no plans to replace the ISS with a new station built by NASA and its international partners. This NASA web page explains that https://www.nasa.gov/feature/faq-the-international-space-station-2022-transition-plan

Axiom is leveraging the ISS to help it establish its own space station by attaching it’s initial modules to it so as to take advantage of the existing infrastructure before the modules are expanded to the point that it can detach and function independently.

NASA is transitioning from LEO to focusing on the Moon and then Mars.

 

[Electroman]

Axiom is leveraging the ISS to help it establish its own space station by attaching it’s initial modules to it so as to take advantage of the existing infrastructure before the modules are expanded to the point that it can detach and function independently.

so Axiom is sending its own hardware to be attached to ISS? They are building space station hardware ?

 

[ecarfan]

so Axiom is sending its own hardware to be attached to ISS? They are building space station hardware ?

If you go to the link I provided in my post #68 upthread you will find the answers to your questions on the Axiom wesite.

 

[Electroman]

If you go to the link I provided in my post #68 upthread you will find the answers to your questions on the Axiom wesite.

Thanks.

Sorry don’t know how I missed that post.

 

[Grendal]

Second Axiom Space mission to ISS scheduled for May

Axiom Space’s second private astronaut mission to the International Space Station is scheduled to launch as soon as May 8.

spacenews.com

 

[Grendal]

Axiom announces new government human spaceflight program

Axiom Space has introduced a new program to allow countries to create human spaceflight programs without needing to develop their own infrastructure.

spacenews.com

 

[Grendal]

Swedish astronaut to fly to ISS on Axiom mission

A Swedish astronaut may fly to the International Space Station on a commercial mission within the next year under an agreement signed this week.

spacenews.com

 

[ecarfan]

Vast is launching a space station on Dragon that they will later dock to with a crew Dragon.

VAST Announces the Haven-1 and VAST-1 Missions. — VAST

Quote:

Vast’s long-term goal is to develop a 100-meter-long multi-module spinning artificial gravity space station launched by SpaceX’s Starship transportation system. In support of this, Vast will explore conducting the world’s first spinning artificial gravity experiment on a commercial space station with Haven-1.

Hmm…”spinning” around which axis? Seems like that module is too small to produce physiologically tolerable artificial gravity. The video on the Vast website does not appear to show the rotation axis. But hey, sign me up anyway!

 

[mongo]

Quote:

Hmm…”spinning” around which axis? Seems like that module is too small to produce physiologically tolerable artificial gravity. The video on the Vast website does not appear to show the rotation axis. But hey, sign me up anyway!

In general, I'd think the in the plane of the solar panels. (Not roll).

"Opportunities for lunar artificial gravity by spinning."
One sixth gravity means 40% of rotation speed or 17% of radius versus Earth normal. Having Dragon as a counterweight helps.

 

[ecarfan]

Eric Berger’s take on the Vast announcement

And after the Haven-1 station module that fits into the F9 fairing is launched…

To meet NASA's needs, Vast is planning to launch a larger "Starship-class module" by around 2028. This will be nearly twice as large as Haven-1, with a seven-meter diameter, and it will launch atop SpaceX's Starship rocket. (The International Space Station modules are 4.2 meters in diameter.) Vast has published a roadmapof its plans all the way out to the 2040s.

McCaleb said Vast opted to start with the smaller Haven-1 station so that it could start flying sooner on proven SpaceX rockets and demonstrate to its customers and NASA the viability of its hardware in actual flight-like conditions.

The company is planning some artificial gravity experiments on Haven-1—it should be able to reach approximately lunar gravity, or one-sixth that of Earth's gravity. It is hoping for a more robust artificial gravity setup with the Starship module later this decade.