Tycoons bound for ISS aren't tourists, insists space company

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Three tycoons and an ex-NASA astronaut are all set for the first fully private voyage to the International Space Station next month.

The crew of Ax-1 will fly a SpaceX Dragon to the International Space Station.WASHINGTON - Three tycoons and an ex-NASA astronaut are all set for the first fully private voyage to the International Space Station next month -- just don't call them tourists.

Speaking to reporters Monday, Lopez-Alegria said:"We are not space tourists. I think there's an important role for space tourism, but it is not what Axiom is about."He added:"My crewmates have worked very hard....they're busy people and they've taken a lot of time out of their lives to focus on this, and it's definitely not a vacation for them."

The mission comes in the midst of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Most of the crew's activities will take place in the US segment of the ISS -- Lopez-Alegria said they"would like to go visit" the Russian section but would require a safety escort as they're not trained in the Russian systems.Spanish-American Lopez-Alegria flew to space four times for NASA before retiring. He is now a vice president at Axiom.

 

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