Axiom Space, a leader in human spaceflight now building the first commercial space station, celebrates the strong support for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) programs in President Biden’s Budget Request for the 2023 Fiscal Year at a level of $26 billion, an 11.6% increase from the FY 2021 enacted level and a 9.2% increase over the FY 2022 enacted level of $24.04 billion. Notably, the NASA request includes proposed funding of Commercial Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) Development (CLD) activities at $224.3 million, more than double the FY 2022 enacted level of $101.1 million.
In 2020, Axiom Space was competitively awarded a contract by NASA to attach the first commercial destination module to the International Space Station (ISS). The contract, which provides NASA with data and insight, falls under the Commercial LEO Development line which was fully funded by Congress in the FY 2022 omnibus. Axiom applauds the Biden Administration for its leadership and commitment to the commercialization of low-Earth orbit as reflected in this request, helping to ensure no gap in U.S. access to low-Earth orbit once the ISS reaches its end of life. Axiom intends to provide a seamless transition in low-Earth orbit upon the space station’s retirement, while driving development of a diverse and robust economy in LEO.
“Axiom is proud of our partnership with NASA, including on the upcoming Ax-1 private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, and the construction of the Axiom segment at the ISS. NASA’s strong budget sends a message to our customers and investors about the agency’s intentions and confidence in our vision, and further supports U.S. competitive leadership in the commercial sector,” said Michael Suffredini, Axiom president and CEO.
The Axiom module will complete critical design review this coming summer. With the addition of commercial modules to the Space Station, the ISS user base will be greatly expanded, increasing access and use of microgravity environments for critical science, technology, and research missions that will benefit all humanity.
Ax-1 is the first all-private astronaut mission to the ISS and marks a pivotal step toward Axiom Station, the first private space station. Axiom’s multinational crew of four private astronauts will conduct more than 25 different experiments while aboard the space station which is made possible by Axiom’s full-service integration into the NASA process for science and technology activities. Data collected in-flight will impact understanding of human physiology on Earth and in orbit, as well as establish the utility of novel technologies that could be used for future human spaceflight pursuits and humankind on Earth.
About Axiom Space
Axiom Space is guided by the vision of a thriving home in space that benefits every human, everywhere. The leading provider of human spaceflight services and developer of human-rated space infrastructure, Axiom operates end-to-end missions to the International Space Station today while privately developing its successor – a permanent commercial destination in Earth’s orbit that will sustain human growth off the planet and bring untold benefits back home. More information about Axiom can be found at www.axiomspace.com.
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