Commercial crew departs space station, heads for Monday splashdown
CBSNov 27, 2021
All-Private SpaceX Astronaut Mission Returns From ISS
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Image copyright:Â SpaceX/AP [via Washington Post]
The Facts
The first crew of private astronauts returned from the International Space Station (ISS), splashing down off the coast of FL on Mon. in a SpaceX capsule that marked a milestone for commercial spaceflight.
The mission was brokered by the TX-based startup Axiom Space in close coordination with SpaceX and NASA as they travelled to the ISS in a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule. The mission's cost wasn't disclosed.
The Spin
Establishment-critical narrative
The super-rich are taking joyrides in space as over half of the people in this country are living paycheck to paycheck. Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos are getting billions of dollars in corporate welfare to subsidize their space misadventures. Anyone who thinks we don't have an oligarchy right here in America is sorely mistaken.
Pro-establishment narrative
This landmark mission went far beyond space tourism, becoming an exciting turning point in low-Earth orbit spaceflight operations. It signals the transition to a commercial space station - the ISS will need a replacement in the future.
