Space X has been sending astronauts to space for NASA for two years. But, this time the company is sending private charter flights to space for the first time. Among the passengers, one person is from America, one is from Canada and one is from Israel. Each passenger cost $55 million (about Rs 4.2 billion). This includes their rocket ride, living in the space station and eating and drinking etc.
NASA said that the passengers’ tickets also have permission to go to the Russian part of the space station. They only have to take permission from the people already on board in the space station. Three American and one German passengers are already living in the space station.
Axiom Space, a private company, arranged the trip for three of its paying customers. Michael Lopez-Alegria, a former NASA astronaut with long experience, is the commander of the Ax-1 mission. He is accompanied on the mission by American investor and private pilot Larry Connor, Israeli investor and former fighter pilot Eytan Stibbe and Canadian businessman Mark Pathy as private passengers. The three passengers are said to have paid $55 million (about Rs 420 crore) for the flight.
Lopez-Alegria said that before going on the mission, NASA and Space X told everyone about the risks of space flight. Lopez-Alegria spent seven months aboard the space station 15 years ago and is an experienced space traveler.
All three people are among the latest visitors who have gone to space on the basis of money. Jeff Bezos’ rocket company Blue Origin also takes customers to the edge of space, a 10-minute ride away. Apart from this, Virgin Galactic is also preparing to start its rocket rides for customers this year.