Private spaceflight

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Six separate photos of six people are arranged in two rows of three each.

Meet the crew of Blue Origin's NS-33 tourism launch to the edge of space

By Josh Dinner published

Blue Origin's next suborbital flight is scheduled to launch on Saturday (June 21), carrying a private crew of six.

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A black and white rocket with crew capsule at the top, connected to a gantry leading to a black tower on the right. On the left, in the foreground, the fronds of a palm leaf.

SpaceX, NASA target June 22 for launch of private Ax-4 astronauts due to ISS leak

By Josh Dinner last updated

Leaks aboard the International Space Station, as well as on SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket, delayed Axiom's next private astronaut mission, but the crew now has a target launch date of June 22.

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Artist's illustration of Firefly Aerospace Elytra spacecraft studying the moon from lunar orbit.

Firefly Aerospace to launch 'Ocula' moon-imaging service as early as 2026

By Mike Wall published

Firefly Aerospace plans to launch a new "lunar imaging service" called Ocula, which will collect detailed imagery using a set of moon-orbiting spacecraft.

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Blue Origin's New Shepard vehicle launches on the NS-25 crewed suborbital mission, on May 19, 2024

Blue Origin reveals passengers for 13th space tourism launch

By Mike Wall published

Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin has revealed the six people who will fly on the company's 13th space tourism mission, though a launch date has not yet been announced.

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portrait of four astronauts — three men and one woman — in black and white spacesuits

SpaceX launch of private Ax-4 astronauts postponed indefinitely due to leaky ISS module

By Mike Wall published

The launch of Axiom Space's fourth private astronaut mission has been delayed again, this time by a leaky Russian module on the International Space Station.

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The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon capsule that will fly the Ax-4 private astronaut mission stand on the pad at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Propellant leak delays SpaceX launch of private Ax-4 astronaut mission to the ISS

By Mike Wall published

SpaceX is standing down from the planned June 11 launch of the Ax-4 private astronaut mission due to a liquid oxygen leak in its Falcon 9 rocket. No new target date has been announced.

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A black and white SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Ax-4 crew capsule on the launch pad with colorful clouds lit by twilight.

SpaceX delays launch of private Ax-4 astronaut mission to ISS due to rocket leak

By Mike Wall last updated

SpaceX has delayed the planned June 11 launch of the Ax-4 private astronaut mission to the ISS due to a liquid oxygen leak in its Falcon 9 rocket. No new target date has been announced.

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The brand-new SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule that will fly the private Ax-4 astronaut mission to the ISS is seen inside the hangar at Launch Pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Brand-new SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule arrives at pad for June 10 astronaut launch (photo)

By Mike Wall published

The SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule that will fly the Ax-4 astronaut mission has arrived at its pad ahead of a planned June 10 launch.

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a small plush white baby swan appears to float inside a darkened room lit by neon lights and a video monitor

'Joy,' a plush baby swan, will launch with Axiom Mission-4 crew as zero-g indicator

By Robert Z. Pearlman published

When an international crew of astronauts launch on a commercial space mission, they will be joined by a स्वैन, a łabędź or a hattyú. Or, in English, a swan.

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The crew of Axiom Space's Ax-4 mission to the International Space Station. From left to right: pilot Shubhanshu Shukla, commander Peggy Whitson, mission specialist Sławosz Uznański and mission specialist Tibor Kapu.

SpaceX's next private astronaut launch to ISS, Ax-4, pushed back to June 10

By Mike Wall published

Houston company Axiom Space's Ax-4 astronaut launch to the International Space Statio has been delayed by two days, to June 10.

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