US Billionaires Ignite New Space Race

In a significant step for space exploration, SpaceX successfully launched a crew of four, including two NASA astronauts, a French astronaut, and a Russian cosmonaut, to the International Space Station. This marks the company's twelfth long-duration crew mission.

The mission, launched from Cape Canaveral's Space Force Station in Florida, utilized a Falcon 9 rocket topped with the autonomously operated Crew Dragon capsule named 'Freedom'. The crew is set for an eight-month mission in microgravity, furthering scientific research aspects.

Simultaneously, the competitive landscape among U.S. billionaires in space ventures intensifies. Elon Musk's SpaceX ambitions include creating a 'Moonbase Alpha' with satellite launch capabilities, while Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin aims for its lunar aspirations. Both companies are eyeing an earlier lunar return than China's 2030 planned mission.