First private space crew to pay USD 55 mn each to fly to space station on SpaceX rocket These paying customers intend to perform science research in orbit, as well as educational outreach, according to The Associated Press January 27, 2021 10:20:05 IST former NASA astronaut and Axiom vice president Michael López-Alegría as commander; American entrepreneur and non-profit activist investor Larry Connor as pilot; Canadian investor and philanthropist Mark Pathy; and impact investor and philanthropist Eytan Stibbe of Israel. Image credit: Axiom Space The first private space station crew was introduced Tuesday: Three men who are each paying USD 55 million to fly on a SpaceX rocket. They'll be led by a former NASA astronaut now working for Axiom Space, the Houston company that arranged the trip for next January. "This is the first private flight to the International Space Station. It's never been done before," said Axiom's chief executive and president Mike Suffredini, a former space station program manager for NASA.