NASA announced a partnership with aerospace company Axiom Space for its second private astronaut mission to the International Space Station (ISS). The space agency stated that it will now negotiate a mission order agreement for Axiom Mission 2 (Ax-2) with Axiom. The mission will allow the spacecraft to dock with the International Space Station for up to 14 days. The goal is to launch from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, USA between September 2022 and June 2023. The agency’s first private space mission with the same company, called Ax-1, is scheduled for February 21 next year.

During the Ax-2 mission, private astronauts will coordinate activities with the International Space Station crew and ground flight controllers. Mission objectives include scientific research and outreach activities. Both the agency and the company will negotiate the activities of private astronauts in orbit during the mission.

NASA said in a tweet: “We have chosen Axiom Space for the second private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, with the goal of launching no earlier than the end of the fall of 2022.” In another statement, NASA explained why Choose Axiom Space as the second private mission. The agency “evaluates mission proposals based on Axiom’s ability to successfully execute it, NASA’s ability to support it, and its contribution to Axiom’s mission and low-Earth orbit commercialization goals.”

NASA and its international partners will review Axiom’s proposal to select astronauts for the Ax-2 mission. Prior to obtaining approval, selected crew members will undergo medical qualification testing in accordance with NASA guidelines. NASA has decided to cooperate with private companies to develop a space station for commercial activities. In this fast-growing industry, the largest participant is SpaceX led by Elon Musk.

Axiom is led by Michael Suffredini, who served as NASA project manager from 2005 to 2015. Suffredini founded the company in 2016 to build a private space station that can be visited by various clients for research. The Ax-1 mission was led by former NASA astronaut and Axiom Space vice president Michael Lopez-Alegria.

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