China News Agency, San Francisco, April 8th. At 11:17 local time on the 8th, SpaceX's "Falcon 9" rocket was launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, sending four civilian passengers to the sky. International Space Station.

  The Associated Press reported that in addition to former NASA astronaut Michael Lopez-Alegria, the passengers aboard the Dragon spacecraft included American Larry Alegria. Connor, Canadian Mark Passy and Israeli Irtan Stibie, the three wealthy businessmen, have to pay $55 million each for the trip.

  The New York Times reported that the four-person civilian crew was scheduled to dock at the International Space Station on the morning of the 9th.

According to the news released by NASA on its official website, starting at 5:30 am on the 9th, the agency will broadcast live broadcasts of the spacecraft docking with the space station, hatch opening and welcoming crew ceremonies through various channels.

  NASA said the passengers will complete a series of programs including scientific research and commercial activities on the space station.

On April 19, they will splash down off the coast of Florida.

  Russia has also sent civilian passengers to the International Space Station before, but this trip, code-named "AX-1", is the first all-civilian space trip.

The trip to the International Space Station was organized by Houston-based Axiom Space, which operates "space tourism," and is the first time NASA has participated in a space tourism business.

The Associated Press reports that Axiom Space plans to make its second civilian trip to the International Space Station next year.

  Last year, companies such as SpaceX, Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin competed in space tourism.

On July 11, Virgin Galactic's "Unity" spacecraft completed its first full-crew space test flight in New Mexico, USA, accompanied by the company's founder Branson.

Nine days later, Blue Origin's "New Shepard" vehicle completed its first manned space test flight in Texas, accompanied by company founder and former Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos.

On September 15, SpaceX successfully sent the Dragon spacecraft into space with the Falcon 9 rocket. The "space tour group" consisting of four non-professional astronauts flew in orbit around the earth for 3 days.

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