A Dayton-area tech entrepreneur and philanthropist will pilot the first entirely private flight to the International Space Station, according to Houston-based Axiom Space.
Larry Conner of The Connor Group in Miami Township, Israeli Eytan Stibbe, and Canadian Mark Pathy each paid $55 million to crew a SpaceX Crew Dragon sometime in 2022. The flight will be led by Axiom VP and former NASA astronaut Michael Lopez-Alegria.
During the 10-day trip Connor says he will be able to talk to students at Dayton Early College Academy, which his company has supported during the pandemic. He also hopes to participate in research being done on the International Space Station with the Cleveland Clinic and the Mayo Clinic.
Axiom said it intends to offer up to two private and national astronaut flights to the space station, while it begins constructing its own privately funded space station.
