NASA announced an order with Axiom Space for the fifth private astronaut mission to the ISS on January 30, 2026. Ax-5 was targeted no earlier than January 2027 from Kennedy, with up to fourteen days aboard the station and timing dependent on traffic and planning. Axiom would propose four crew members for review by NASA and international partners before confirmation and training. The order did not approve every crew member or represent a completed 2026 launch. The company would buy consumables, cargo, storage and orbital resources, while NASA would purchase cold scientific-sample return capability. The award followed a 2025 solicitation, but the order is a 2026 event. Its prospective research and commercial benefits remain objectives rather than completed results.
Commercial space
NASA selects Axiom for the fifth private astronaut mission to the ISS
NASA announced an order with Axiom Space for the fifth private astronaut mission to the ISS on January 30, 2026. Ax-5 was targeted no earlier than January 2027 from Kennedy, with up to fourteen days aboard the station and timing dependent on traffic and planning.
Human spaceflight
Related launch missions
No linked mission.
Related space entities
No linked entity.