NASA announced that it has signed another contract with Axiom Space for the delivery of tourists to the International Space Station.
The Ax-5 mission will take place no earlier than January 2027, and the exact date will depend on the flight schedule at that time.
This will be the fifth commercial flight as part of Axiom's collaboration with the agency, during which four private astronauts will spend 14 days aboard the station.
This mission, like other similar ones, is part of NASA's program to engage commercial operators in flights to low Earth orbit and to develop private space activities. It is a direct implementation of the agency's strategy to gradually transition from a government monopoly on space activities to a mixed, commercially-oriented model of exploring near-Earth space.
The fifth mission, named Axiom Mission 5 (Ax-5), continues the series of already implemented or planned flights by Axiom Space to the ISS.
According to the announced plans, the Ax-5 crew will spend about two weeks at the ISS. During this time, the astronauts will conduct experiments in microgravity, test new technologies, and participate in educational programs. Such missions allow for the expansion of the user base of orbital infrastructure and engage not only government astronauts but also representatives from private companies, scientific organizations, and other countries in space work.
The company's previous tourist mission, Ax-4, took place in July 2025. At that time, each ticket to the station cost tourists about $70 million. In the future, Axiom plans to create its private station in orbit, which will make flights cheaper and more frequent.
