Three businessmen who went on a space walk with a ticket of Rs 420 crore returned to earth

Three wealthy businessmen and a former NASA astronaut, who went to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of the world’s first private mission, returned to Earth on Monday after nearly two weeks. He made a landing on the Florida coast of America. Elon Musk’s company SpaceX and the American space agency NASA also played a role in this mission of the American company Axiom Space. The mission was earlier supposed to land on Earth, but was delayed due to weather constraints. Eventually all the astronauts on four giant parachutes made a successful landing on Earth.

The astronauts’ spaceship re-entered the atmosphere at a speed of 17,500 mph (28,000 kph). Because of this, due to the marks on the spaceship, it was called as ‘Toasted Marshmallow’. According to a news agency report, Axiom Space’s director of operations, Derek Hausman, said that we proved that we can prepare crew in a way that makes them effective and productive in orbit. We are ready to do that again.

Axiom Space paid NASA for the use of SpaceX and the ISS for transport services under this mission. In return, three space travelers paid $55 million (about Rs 420 crore), it is said.

NASA chief Bill Nelson tweeted. “Welcome home, Axiom-1!” The progress we have seen in the commercial space sector would not have been possible without the support of the private industry. It is worth noting that NASA is looking at possibilities in the private industry in some missions related to space, so that it can focus on the lunar and Mars missions.

Welcome home, Axiom-1! #Ax1 and all of the progress we've seen in the commercial space sector wouldn't be possible without NASA’s collaboration with private industry.

Congratulations to @NASA, @SpaceX, and @Axiom_Space for safely completing this landmark mission! https://t.co/gDc3xGheh8

— Bill Nelson (@SenBillNelson) April 25, 2022

Under this mission, former NASA astronaut Michael Lopez-Alegria, American investor and private pilot Larry Connor, Israeli investor and former fighter pilot Eytan Stibbe and Canada Entrepreneur Mark Pathy flew to space on 8 April. All of them went to space on an 8-day tour, but their landing was delayed due to bad weather.

These passengers spent 17 days in orbit, of which 15 days were on the ISS. It is said that no additional money was taken from the passengers in exchange for the delay in the mission and the time spent in space.