However, the increasing privatization of space access raises questions about America's future role in space exploration. While another private company, SpaceX, currently provides the only means for launching astronauts from U.S. soil, Oluseyi emphasized the importance of maintaining both public and private investment in space.

After spending 18 days on the International Space Station (ISS), during which he went around the Earth 288 times, Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla and his colleagues on the Axiom-4 mission began their 22-hour return journey to Earth on Monday afternoon.

A SpaceX vehicle carrying four astronauts on a private mission for Axiom Space is on its way to the International Space Station.

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla begins his journey back to Earth as the SpaceX Crew Dragon undocks from the ISS, concluding the Axiom-4 mission after 18 days in orbit.

Houston-based Axiom Space launched its fourth crewed mission to the International Space Station (ISS) early Wednesday (June 25), lifting off on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from NASA's Kennedy Space Center (KCS), in Florida. The mission lifted off from KSC's Launch Complex-39A at 2:31 a.m. EDT (0631 GMT).

Axiom Space and Oakley announced a partnership to develop a visor system on July 11 for NASA's Artemis III mission, where humans will step foot on the Moon for the first time in 50 years.

Peggy Whitson, a retired NASA astronaut, is on her way back to the International Space Station for the fifth time as part of SpaceX Axiom Mission 4.