The First-Ever
All-private astronaut mission to the International Space Station is in the books.
A SpaceX Dragon Capsule Carrying
The four crewmembers of the Ax-1 mission splashed down in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Jacksonville, Florida April 25 at 1:06 p.m. EDT
SpaceX Mission Communicator Told
"On behalf of the entire SpaceX team, welcome back to planet Earth," to the Ax-1 crew just after splashdown.
Ax-1 Was Organized By The Houston
Company Axiom Space and commanded by former NASA astronaut Michael López-Alegría, who is now Axiom's vice president of business development.
He Was Joined On The Mission
By three paying customers — American Larry Connor, Canadian Mark Pathy and Israeli Eytan Stibbe, each of whom is thought to have paid about $55 million for his seat.
Stibbe Is The Second Israeli
Ever to reach space. He was friends with the first — Ilan Ramon, who died along with his six crewmates in the space shuttle Columbia disaster on Feb. 1, 2003.