Tag: SPACE

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Defence India News STARTUPS News

Pixxel wins defence ministry grant to build satellites for IAF

Received as a part of the SPARK grants by iDEX, this grant will equip Pixxel to develop small satellites of up to 150 kgs for Electro-Optical, Infrared, Synthetic Aperture Radar and Hyper Spectral purposes…reports Asian Lite News

Pixxel, a Bengaluru-based space startup, has won a multi-crore grant from the Ministry of Defence to manufacture multi-payload satellites for Indian Air Force (IAF)

“We have won a multi-crore grant from iDEX (Innovations for Defence Excellence under the Ministry of Defence) for the Mission DefSpace Challenge under iDEX Prime (Space), to manufacture miniaturized multi-payload satellites for the IAF,” the startup said in a statement.

Received as a part of the SPARK grants by iDEX, this grant will equip Pixxel to develop small satellites of up to 150 kgs for Electro-Optical, Infrared, Synthetic Aperture Radar and Hyper Spectral purposes.

Pixxel has already solidified its position as a leading innovator in the space tech sector, building and launching made in India and the world’s highest-resolution commercial hyperspectral imaging satellites. Leveraging this indigenous technology and expertise that can enable ease of manufacture, low cost and ease of launch, Pixxel will now manufacture small satellites for the Indian Defense sector, the statement added.

“We are delighted to receive iDEX’s grant and utilize our expertise of building microsatellites in-house to manufacture satellites externally for the first time,” said Awais Ahmed, CEO, Pixxel. “This recognition highlights Pixxel’s dedication to pushing the boundaries of space exploration and innovation. We are grateful for the trust placed in us and excited to embark on this next phase of collaboration with the Indian government.”

Vivek Virmani, Planning Officer, DDP/MoD & Chief Operating Officer, iDEX-DIO said: “We are delighted to witness the remarkable evolution of startups in the Indian space industry, and Pixxel is a testament to the progress of private entities in this sector in such a short time. The grant is aimed at developing technologies addressing every stage of a space mission, right from mission planning and manufacturing to satellite data analytics and more.

Our confidence in Pixxel’s satellite manufacturing capabilities showcases the power of partnerships in advancing the use of satellite technology for the country. We congratulate Pixxel and look forward to working with them.”

The SPARK grants, offered to startups selected through MoD’s initiatives, are aimed at catalysing innovation enabling Indian entrepreneurs to deliver technologically advanced solutions as well as propel deep-tech innovations in India. Pixxel emerged as the winner of the grant from amongst a host of companies.

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-Top News India News UK News

India, UK to connect their space clusters

Freeman added the UK is committed to not trying to grow a “vertical integrated sovereign closed space economy”, but an open commercial global economy…reports Asian Lite News

Ramping up their cooperation in the area of space, India and the United Kingdom will connect their space clusters, starting with Leicester space park, UK’s Minister for Science, Research and Innovation George Freeman has said.

He said India and the UK are also discussing how they can better harness Lower Earth Observation orbits and the regulation of satellite communications.

According to Freeman, both countries are also keen to work together in the field of nuclear energy and looking forward to collaborating on nuclear fission and fusion.

“We are looking to connect the UK space cluster parks with Indian space parks, starting with Leicester (space park). So that we grow the space economy and nurture the skills for the new generation of young Indian scientists working with UK scientists and innovators in a commercial space economy,” Freeman said.

Freeman was in Mumbai last week to attend the meeting of G20 science ministers. He also met his Indian counterpart, Jitendra Singh.

He said the UK is investing in its space clusters that are spread around the country.

Freeman added the UK is committed to not trying to grow a “vertical integrated sovereign closed space economy”, but an open commercial global economy.

The UK has passed the Space Act, the first nation in Europe to launch and set the regulatory framework for space, he said. “In the next few months, this summer we are looking at how quickly to develop these ideas so when Prime Minister (Rishi) Sunak comes to India later this year, he and Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi will have a very rich package of measures to announce. So talks are going on this summer,” Freeman said.

He said India and the UK are also looking at areas where the two countries have strategic interests and very strong synergy.

“In the area of future telecoms, satellite communications, AI, and 5G, we see India as the world’s largest democracy and rapidly becoming the biggest and influential economy.

“India’s adoption of technologies and the regulation of those technologies would be absolutely key for global security. So we have agreed to work on those very important technologies to develop both technological cooperation and also regulatory cooperation,” the UK minister said.

India’s innovation economy, the scale of growth and the digital technologies mean UK and India have a very, very exciting few years next decade, Freeman added.

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-Top News USA

US to fly Indian astronauts to space

The leaders applauded our growing cooperation on earth and space science, and space technologies…reports Asian Lite News

After Russia in 1984, it is now the US to fly Indian astronauts to space.

But this time the US will fly Indian astronauts to the International Space Station next year — much ahead of India’s own human space mission — Gaganyaan.

According to the joint statement issued by the US White House, the US President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Narendra Modi set a course to reach new frontiers across all sectors of space cooperation.

The leaders applauded our growing cooperation on earth and space science, and space technologies.

“They welcomed the decision of NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) and ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) to develop a strategic framework for human spaceflight cooperation by the end of 2023,” the statement said.

“The leaders hailed the announcement by NASA to provide advanced training to Indian astronauts at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, with a goal of mounting a joint effort to the International Space Station in 2024,” the statement notes.

It may be recalled that it was Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma who had travelled to space in a Russian rocket in 1984.

It will be interesting to know who from India will be travelling to the International Space Station on an American rocket.

Already four Indian Air Force (IAF) officials have undergone astronaut training in Russia as a part of India’s Gaganyaan programme.

Whether the same four will be considered for the US-Indo space programme or a different set of people is not known.

Be that as it may, the other Indo-US joint space programme NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) — an earth observation satellite — will be orbited by an Indian rocket next year from the Sriharikota rocket port in Andhra Pradesh.

The NISAR is an earth observation satellite jointly built by NASA and ISRO.

The satellite has already reached India from the US.

Modi and Biden called for enhanced commercial collaboration between the US and Indian private sectors in the entire value chain of the space economy and to address export controls and facilitate technology transfer.

“President Biden deeply appreciated India’s signing of the Artemis Accords, which advance a common vision of space exploration for the benefit of all humankind,” the White House statement said.

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-Top News Science

Cabinet gives nod to Indian Space Policy 2023

After the cabinet approval, Lt. General AK Bhatt (retd.), Director General, the Indian Space Association said that this is a historic moment…reports Asian Lite News

The Union Cabinet on Thursday approved Indian Space Policy 2023, which will aim to enhance the role of the Department of Space, boost activities of ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) missions and give a larger participation of research, academia, startups and industry.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a decision to open the space sector for private participation. Today because of this within 3 years, the number of startups has reached about 150 in ISRO…,” said Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh at a press briefing on Thursday.

“Today Cabinet has approved Indian Space Policy 2023 which in brief would offer clarity to the role of each of these other components which have been set up to enhance the role of the space department, to give a boost to the activities of ISRO missions. To have larger participation between the research academia, startups and industry,” the Minister added.

‘Historic moment’

After the cabinet approval, Lt. General AK Bhatt (retd.), Director General, the Indian Space Association said that this is a historic moment.

Speaking on the behalf of Indian Space Association, General Bhatt said, “This is a historic moment as the cabinet today approved the Indian Space Policy 2023. It will pave the way forward with much-required clarity in space reforms and augment private industry participation to drive the space economy opportunity for the country.” “We have been waiting for it for quite some time and today’s announcement has come as a pleasant surprise. We keenly await and look forward to going through the policy details,” added Bhatt.

He also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said, “We would like to thank PM Modi for his visionary leadership with a special focus on long-due reforms in the Indian space sector.”

Union Cabinet on Thursday approved Indian Space Policy 2023, which will aim to enhance the role of the Department of Space, boost activities of ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) missions and give a larger participation of research, academia, startups and industry. (ANI)

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-Top News Science UAE News

UAE’s nuclear energy to drive future space missions

A trip to Mars using the nuclear thermal propulsion could take roughly four months, instead of some nine months with chemically powered engine…reports Asian Lite News

The UAE is ready to make history and shoot for the stars again, inspired by the ambitions of the nation’s Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.

Sultan Al Neyadi will become the second Emirati to take the UAE flag to space, spending 180 days on board the orbiting laboratory of the International Space Station (ISS) alongside crew mates from Roscosmos and NASA.

A seemingly unlinked sector to space exploration is nuclear power’s role beyond clean electricity, with the UAE Peaceful Nuclear Energy Programme to become a catalyst for the nation’s era of space exploration in the decades ahead.

UAE’s Space Exploration Era

UAE Mission 2, the longest Arab space mission in history, will significantly contribute to humanity’s understanding of life on and beyond Earth, three years after the Hope Probe.

In 2019, the first Emirati astronaut Hazzaa Al Mansoori spent eight days on the ISS. The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre in Dubai was responsible for making the UAE a world leader in space services and exploration.

While in the UAE’s early space exploration years, the nation has already made incredible progress, becoming the first Arab nation and fifth country ever to reach Mars and the first Arab country to build and launch a Moon rover.

Since 2000, the space station has never been without astronauts on board, and the UAE will rank 11th globally among countries that have successfully achieved a long-duration mission at the ISS.

SpaceX to launch UAE’s MBZ-SAT in 2023

Supporting Space Shuttles

Since 1961, nuclear power has enabled understanding of dark, distant planetary bodies that would otherwise be unreachable, opening up the solar system to human exploration and scientific discovery. Nuclear fuel is incredibly energy-dense, enabling nuclear-powered spacecraft power to travel thousands of kilometres over the years without refuelling.

To date, NASA has flown more than 25 missions carrying a nuclear power system through a successful partnership with the United States (US) Department of Energy, which provides the power systems and fuel, with ground-breaking missions extending humanity’s reach across the solar system.

Radioisotope power systems are reliable and efficient, and NASA uses nuclear systems to power unmanned spacecraft to distant planets with enhanced reliability and efficiency compared to solar energy. However, a National Academies report concluded that larger systems are needed for human flights to Mars and beyond, or for setting up colonies on the Moon or Mars, even actual nuclear reactors.

Future Plans

In this new age of space travel, nuclear power and related technologies are making interplanetary missions faster, more efficient and more economical, with advances in nuclear fission and fusion indispensable for deep-space travel. In the foreseeable future, nuclear energy could supply electricity for a broader spectrum of applications, including onboard systems and instrumentation, powering a sustained human presence on celestial bodies in the solar system.

The US space agency is exploring nuclear thermal propulsion to drive efficiencies. This concept introduces heat from a nuclear fission reactor to a hydrogen propellant and plans to test a spacecraft engine powered by nuclear fission by 2027. A trip to Mars from Earth using the technology could take roughly four months, instead of some nine months with a conventional, chemically powered engine, and substantially reduces the time astronauts would be exposed to natural deep-space radiation.

Beyond Electricity

The UAE has a long-term, data-driven approach to developing nuclear energy with the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant, the cornerstone of the UAE Peaceful Nuclear Energy Programme, generating abundant clean electricity around the clock. Spearheading an increase in the intellectual wealth of the UAE with thousands of high-value career opportunities for UAE Nationals, the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant is transforming the human capital of the nuclear sector and stimulating millions of dollars of value for local companies.

The Barakah Plant is just the beginning of the UAE Peaceful Nuclear Energy Programme, with nuclear energy the catalyst for innovation and R&D. With abundant clean electricity flowing 24/7, ENEC focuses on exploring and incubating strategic investments in nuclear energy locally and internationally that support the growth and development goals of the UAE.

Catalyst for Innovation and R&D

The Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant is a nation-defining strategic energy infrastructure project driving efforts towards achieving UAE’s Net Zero by 2050 target by preventing millions of tons of carbon emissions annually. Today, the Barakah Plant is the region’s largest source of clean electricity. Among its civil applications, ENEC plans to realise the full value of the UAE Programme, from clean energy generation and clean molecules production, to applications in healthcare, agriculture and space exploration.

UAE astronauts are continuing Sheikh Zayed’s legacy and making a nation proud by turning the ambitions of his wise leadership into reality. It is inspiring and motivating to witness their progress, share their ambitions, and continue the incredible progress in exploring the universe beyond our world to help make the breakthroughs we need to protect all life on Earth.

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Science

Hubble finds ghost light among galaxies stretches far back in time

NASA's Webb reveals molecular, chemical profile of distant world's skies.(photo:nasa.gov)

The survey included 10 galaxy clusters as far away as nearly 10 billion light-years…reports Asian Lite News

In giant clusters of hundreds or thousands of galaxies, innumerable stars wander like lost souls, emitting a ghostly haze of light. These stars are not gravitationally tied to any one galaxy in a cluster.

The nagging question for astronomers has been: how did the stars get so scattered throughout the cluster in the first place? Several competing theories include the possibility that the stars were stripped out of a cluster’s galaxies, or they were tossed around after mergers of galaxies, or they were present early in a cluster’s formative years many billions of years ago. A recent infrared survey from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, which looked for this so-called ‘intracluster light’, sheds new light on the mystery. The new Hubble observations suggest that these stars have been wandering around for billions of years, and are not a product of more recent dynamical activity inside a galaxy cluster that would strip them out of normal galaxies.

The survey included 10 galaxy clusters as far away as nearly 10 billion light-years. These measurements must be made from space because the faint intracluster light is 10,000 times dimmer than the night sky as seen from the ground.

The survey reveals that the fraction of the intracluster light relative to the total light in the cluster remains constant, looking over billions of years back into time. “This means that these stars were already homeless in the early stages of the cluster’s formation,” said James Jee of Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea. His results are being published in the January 5 issue of Nature magazine.

Stars can be scattered outside of their galactic birthplace when a galaxy moves through gaseous material in the space between galaxies, as it orbits the center of the cluster. In the process, drag pushes gas and dust out of the galaxy. However, based on the new Hubble survey, Jee rules out this mechanism as the primary cause for the intracluster star production. That’s because the intracluster light fraction would increase over time to the present if stripping is the main player. But that is not the case in the new Hubble data, which show a constant fraction over billions of years.

“We don’t exactly know what made them homeless. Current theories cannot explain our results, but somehow they were produced in large quantities in the early universe,” said Jee, adding, “In their early formative years, galaxies might have been pretty small and they bled stars pretty easily because of a weaker gravitational grasp.”

“If we figure out the origin of intracluster stars, it will help us understand the assembly history of an entire galaxy cluster, and they can serve as visible tracers of dark matter enveloping the cluster,” said Hyungjin Joo of Yonsei University, the first author of the paper. Dark matter is the invisible scaffolding of the universe, which holds galaxies, and clusters of galaxies, together. (ANI)

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-Top News Science UAE News

UAE President meets heads of international space agencies

Sheikh Mohamed also received the founders of emerging Emirati companies in the space and advanced technology sector…reports Asian Lite News

President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan affirmed that the UAE is continuing to consolidate its position in the space sector, adding that the UAE national cadres are capable of reaching the highest possible level in this sector, which, he said, is one of the vital spheres for securing sustainable development, due to the significant economic and scientific opportunities it creates.

The UAE president made the statements as he received at Qasr Al-Bahr Palace yesterday – in the presence of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai – the leaders of the international space agencies participating in the Abu Dhabi Space Dialogue, which concluded today.

Sheikh Mohamed added, “The UAE will continue to support the space sector and groom national cadres at the highest levels to enhance the state’s competitiveness in this sector, in collaboration with its partners from various parts of the world, for the common good of humanity at large.”

“We have confidence in the UAE people, and our bet on them is successful. They possess the will and ambition in the field of space exploration to constructively contribute with the peoples of the world to ensuring a better future for generations to come,” Sheikh Mohamed added.

Those he received included Christian Hauglie-Hanssen, the Director General at the Norwegian Space Agency (NOSA); Ricardo Conde, President of the Portuguese Space Agency; Dr. Hiroshi Yamakawe, President of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA); Serdar Hüseyin Yildirim, President of Turkish Space Agency (TUA); Dr. Robin Jess, Director of the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research; Dr. Sang-Ryool Lee, President of Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI); and Hervé Dery, President and CEO of Thales Elena Space.

Sheikh Mohamed also received the founders of emerging Emirati companies in the space and advanced technology sector, whom His Highness urged to make more efforts to develop the UAE space sector and forge ahead on the path of success that has been achieved in a record time, in order to enhance the position of the UAE and its international presence in this vital field.

Present at the meeting were Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of Abu Dhabi Executive Council; Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior; Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan, National Security Adviser; as well as a number of Sheikhs and senior officials.

In attendance also were Sarah Al Amiri, Minister of State for Advanced Technology and Chairperson of UAE Space Agency; Omran Sharaf, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation for Advanced Science and Technology and Chairman of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS);Salem Al Qubaisi, Director General of the UAE Space Agency etc.

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-Top News UK News

Fusion robots at work in the UK space industry

A replica section of a typical spacecraft provided by Satellite Applications Catapult was assembled at RACE…reports Asian Lite News

Culham and Harwell, Oxfordshire – UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) and the Satellite Applications Catapult have partnered to demonstrate how advanced remote handling and robotics technology developed for fusion energy research can be used to provide maintenance for in-orbit satellites.

The technology has been developed and tested at UKAEA’s Remote Applications in Challenging Environments (RACE) robotics centre in Culham, Oxfordshire.

The demonstration adds to evidence that the potential economic spill over of fusion research reaches far beyond the sector itself, and even as far as the servicing of spacecraft in orbit.

Fusion is the process that powers the sun and stars. The energy created promises to be a safe, low carbon and sustainable part of the world’s future energy supply.

Dr Indira Nagesh, Principal Engineer of UKAEA​,​ said of the network spillover: “The rewards for recreating the ultimate fusion energy source here on Earth are enormous, with the potential for near limitless power for generations to come. Right now, we’re proving that our technology has lots more immediate benefits in adjacent sectors.

“Identifying technical challenges and solving them for in-orbit servicing and repair is exciting. It will greatly help to improve the longevity of spacecraft and reduce space litter.”

Jeremy Hadall, Robotics Development Lead at the Catapult, said: “Improving our ability to perform close-proximity operations in orbit with advanced robotics, will unlock a range of commercial opportunities in space including debris removal, spacecraft servicing, and even the manufacture of large structures in orbit. This trial moves the space industry one step closer to realising these exciting possibilities.”

Currently, around 6,000 satellites are in orbit around the Earth, but only 40% are operational. This space debris poses a danger to all spacecraft which have to perform thousands of avoidance manoeuvres each year to prevent collisions. Servicing and maintenance can extend operational lifetimes and the same technologies can be used to support active debris removal missions.

Hadall continued: “While the space industry has assembled structures and serviced them in the past, it has been extremely costly and required national agencies to lead. However, there is a significant commercial requirement to remove these barriers using robotics as we expand our reach beyond Earth.”

A replica section of a typical spacecraft provided by Satellite Applications Catapult was assembled at RACE.

Demonstrations were carried out in the Automated Inspection and Maintenance Test Unit (AIM-TU), a highly modular robot cell for research and development containing two UR10e (Universal Robotics) robots​ with 1.3 ​​metre reach​.

A ‘digital twin’ of the operation using specialist software was also completed to show how operators can take over the manual command of the operation, if required, and train the system to carry out new missions.

While the automation isn’t ​​space-qualified, engineers have demonstrated how such processes can potentially be replicated in space by understanding technical challenges in implementing remote handling capability.

“The demonstrations have shown how fusion energy technologies can support faster and safer operations,” added Hadall.

“We’re pleased to be working with UKAEA on this collaboration and envisage the relationship to continue as both organisations look to spur innovation by addressing common challenges,” he concluded.

Since its opening at Culham, Oxford, in 2016, UKAEA’s RACE facility has conducted research and development in the use of robotics to protect people in challenging environments.

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‘OTT is not a safe space’

Talking about ‘Cuttputtli’ opting for OTT release, producer Jackky Bhagnani said: “The film was designed to release on OTT. We were certain from the word go that this film will release digitally…reports Asian Lite News

Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar, whose last three films ‘Bachchhan Paandey’, ‘Samrat Prithviraj’ and ‘Raksha Bandhan’ did not make it big at the box-office, said that he has to make come changes as his films are not working.

Talking about his last few releases not working as planned and ‘Cuttputtli’ opting for OTT release, Akshay said: “Films are not working, it is our fault, it is my fault, I have to make the changes, I have to understand what the audience wants.

“I want to make the changes, I will dismantle my ways, the way I think, and the kind of movies I do. Nobody else is to be blamed, it is just me.”

Akshay was joined by Rakul Preet Singh, Sargun Mehta, Chandrachur Singh, Jackky Bhagnani, Deepshikha and Ranjit Tiwari for the trailer launch of ‘Cuttputtli’ in Mumbai on Saturday.

The actor said that OTT is not a safe space as it also requires people to give their nod to the content.

“OTT is not a safe space, digital space also requires people to say ‘yes’ to the content, it is not a safety net. The film releases the same way it releases everywhere; the audience, critics, and media watch the film on the net, and they give their feedback too, so forget about being safe. It would help if you work hard and that is it,” he said.

Talking about ‘Cuttputtli’ opting for OTT release, producer Jackky Bhagnani said: “The film was designed to release on OTT. We were certain from the word go that this film will release digitally.

“Since the inception of the film, we knew this is a great genre, and we wanted to put this story out in the best way, and Disney is the best platform for this movie.

“There was no confusion about the release, the film was not meant to release in theaters. We had planned and made it for OTT release, we just had to figure out on which platform.”

‘Cuttputtli’ is a crime thriller based on real-life serial killer Anatoly Yemelianovich Slivko from the erstwhile Soviet Union.

Produced by Vashu Bhagnani, Deepshikha Deshmukh and Jackky Bhagnani under the banner of Pooja Entertainment, the film will premiere on Disney+ Hotstar on September 2.

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-Top News Tech Lite

Axiom Space’s first private mission crew returns safely to Earth

At the conclusion of their mission, Ax-1 Commander Michael Lopez-Alegria, Pilot Larry Connor, and Mission Specialists Eytan Stibbe and Mark Pathy completed 17 days in space, NASA said…reports Asian Lite News

After spending about 17 days in space, American private space habitat company Axiom Space’s first-ever private mission to the International Space Station (ISS) safely returned to Earth on Monday.

The SpaceX Dragon Endeavour spacecraft undocked from the space-facing port of the International Space Station’s Harmony module at 9:10 p.m. EDT, and had a splashdown off the coast of Jacksonville, Florida, at 1:06 p.m. EDT on Monday.

“Splashdown! The #Ax1 astronauts have made a safe return to Earth in @SpaceX Dragon after completing the first all-private crew mission to the @Space_Station and paving a path for a future of innovation in low Earth orbit,” Axiom Space wrote in a tweet.

Ax-1 mission, which was initially planned for 10 days, was scheduled to arrive on Earth on April 20, but predicted bad weather in the splashdown zone pushed things back. And these poor conditions persisted, causing additional delays.

At the conclusion of their mission, Ax-1 Commander Michael Lopez-Alegria, Pilot Larry Connor, and Mission Specialists Eytan Stibbe and Mark Pathy completed 17 days in space, NASA said.

SpaceX Dragon Endeavour, the Ax-1 spacecraft, returns to Earth with more than 200 pounds of science and supplies, including NASA experiments and hardware.

“Thanks once again for all the support through this amazing adventure that we’ve had,” Lopez-Alegria shared on Twitter after undocking from the ISS.

“Even longer and more exciting than we thought. We really appreciate your professionalism, and with that we’ll sign off,” he added.

The four-person, multinational Ax-1 crew conducted work for more than 25 research projects.

The astronauts also assisted in delivering Axiom-sponsored research and manufacturing investigations on self-assembling technology for future space habitats, devices to purify air on space stations, and more.

The Ax-1 crew is the first all-private crew to travel to the ISS. Ax-1 is the first of several proposed Axiom missions to the ISS and an important step toward Axiom Station, the world’s first private space station in low-Earth orbit, which can serve as a global academic and commercial hub.

Elon Musk’s space venture SpaceX has been contracted to fly three more Axiom astronaut missions to the ISS over the next two years.

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