SpaceX successfully launches the Crew Dragon spacecraft and four astronauts are about to embark on a journey to the International Space Station

According to news on May 22, the American space exploration technology company SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft (Crew Dragon) was successfully launched on May 21, local time, carrying four astronauts to the International Space Station. This historic mission saw a female astronaut from Saudi Arabia set foot in space for the first time.

Four astronauts arrived at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Sunday night and then boarded the Falcon 9 rocket carrying them. Among them, Saudi Arabia has two astronauts participating, one of whom is the country's first female astronaut. This mission was hosted by Axiom Space Company is responsible for it, which is the second of four manned space launches conducted by SpaceX for the company.

According to ITBEAR Technology Information, Axiom is conducting a series of manned flights to the International Space Station to prepare for the establishment of its own private space station in the future. SpaceX dispatched an all-private crew of astronauts to the International Space Station for the first time in April 2022.

The crew of the mission, dubbed Ax-2, includes professional astronaut Peggy Whitson and pilot John Shofner, as well as mission expert Ali Ali, who was recommended by the Saudi Space Commission (SSC). Al Khani and Rayana Barnawi.

According to NASA’s Inspector General, a seat on the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft costs approximately US$55 million (equivalent to approximately 385 million yuan). The astronauts will dock with the International Space Station on Monday and then spend eight days living and working on the space station. They will conduct more than 20 experiments inside the space station before returning to Earth. The next mission, Ax-3, is expected to launch after November.

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