According to the UK Space Agency, a preliminary agreement has been made with a U.S. spaceflight services company in an effort to send British astronauts into orbit for a duration of two weeks. This announcement was made on Wednesday.

A partnership agreement has been reached with Axiom Space, located in Houston, outlining the details for a flight where British astronauts will carry out a two-week mission in space.

The agency stated that during this upcoming space mission, British astronauts will be launched into orbit, where they will spend a maximum of two weeks conducting scientific experiments, showcasing innovative technologies, and engaging in educational and outreach initiatives.

Axiom was established by Michael Suffredini, its CEO, who previously held the position of program manager for NASA’s International Space Station (ISS) from 2005 to 2015.

In April 2022 and May of this year, SpaceX successfully launched two manned missions into orbit using their rockets.

The initial expedition included one astronaut and three “investors,” and lasted 17 days in orbit with the crew.

Four crew members were on board for the second mission, which lasted for a duration of 10 days.

According to Axiom, they are currently developing the first-ever commercial space station.

The partnership with the UK would be financially sponsored and backed by the European Space Agency.

This would expand upon the UK government’s space plan, which highlights five essential technologies: artificial intelligence, engineering biology, telecommunications, semiconductors, and quantum technologies.

Suffredini stated that using this agreement as a starting point, we will create a thorough mission plan that will assist the UK in achieving its goals for space exploration and discovery, both at a national and agency level.

In 1991, Helen Sharman from Sheffield made history as the first British person to travel to space on a Soviet Soyuz TM-12 spacecraft.