Axiom Sets Second Private Flight to International Space Station Justin Bachman, Bloomberg News (Bloomberg) -- Axiom Space Inc., which is preparing a private flight to the International Space Station in January, has tapped veteran astronaut Peggy Whitson to lead its second planned mission. Whitson, who retired from NASA in 2018 after 22 years, will lead a crew of three others on the second trip in late 2022 or 2023. John Shoffner, an airplane pilot and race-car entrepreneur from Knoxville, Tennessee, will join her as pilot for the voyage, Axiom said in a statement Tuesday. Two other crew members will be named later for the trip, which is known as Ax-2.