Private space mission launches successfully into orbit.

Private Space Mission Launches with Historic Landing

The second all-private space mission launched on Sunday, marking a historic moment in human spaceflight. The Falcon 9 rocket, equipped with its completely autonomous Dragon capsule where the crew will sit, was able to land its booster back on Cape Canaveral’s Space Force Station Landing Zone 1, which is a first for human spaceflight. From there, it will join the International Space Station in the first private mission in low orbit.

Crew Members

• Saudi Arabian astronaut Rayyanah Barnawi
• Commander Peggy Whitson
• Pilot John Shoffner
• Saudi Arabian astronaut Ali al-Qarni

Barnawi will be the first female Saudi Arabian to travel to space. Whitson, as the U.S. record holder for most accumulated time in space at 665 days, will be the first female commander of a private mission. Later on in the mission, the crew is expected to talk live to give a report.

This mission was planned by Houston-based Axiom Space in collaboration with SpaceX. The company did not reveal the price for the latest tickets, however, it previously charged $55 million per seat.

It’s an exciting time for space exploration, and this successful mission is just the beginning of what’s to come.