The second private mission to the International Space Station (ISS) has come to a close as the four Axiom Space Axiom Mission 2 (Ax-2) astronauts returned to Earth on Tuesday, May 30. All four Ax-2 astronauts, along with the Expedition 69 crew, completed over 20 science experiments during their eight days aboard the orbiting laboratory, including microgravity research, biomedical sample collection, and technology demonstrations.
The mission came just over a year after Houston-based Axiom sent its first private astronauts onboard the ISS on April 8, 2022. On top of conducting scientific research, the astronauts also laid the groundwork for future missions that will focus on building private modules on the Station that will eventually detach and become a singular free-flying space station for commercial use.