\n<\/p>\n
Axiom Space plans to launch its fourth mission<\/a> on Tuesday, June 10 \u2014 a mission that CEO Tejpaul Bhatia described as \u201ca little bit of a victory lap.\u201d<\/p>\n In addition to being the private space company\u2019s fourth mission to the International Space Station, Bhatia said Ax-4 will be Axiom Space\u2019s second \u201cfully national mission\u201d where all the customers are national governments. In fact, the company has also dubbed this mission as one that will \u201crealize the return\u201d to human spaceflight for India, Poland, and Hungary, who will each have an astronaut on the flight.<\/p>\n In addition, Bhatia said this will be the company\u2019s first \u201cbreak even mission\u201d after losing money on the first three. He emphasized that these ISS missions are \u201cnot our business model\u201d \u2014 the company plans to add commercial modules to the ISS that eventually detach and become the free-flying Axiom Station<\/a>.<\/p>\n At the same time, Bhatia said these initial missions bring in revenue and help illustrate the demand for commercial space flight. Plus, they create inspirational \u201cApollo moments\u201d for each of the client countries.<\/p>\n \u201cIt shows how space is opening up because of commercial companies,\u201d he said. \u201cFor all three countries, this will be their second astronaut ever. And it shows the switch from Space Race 1.0 to Space Race 2.0.\u201d<\/p>\n \n