"Axiom-3: Europe's Disrupted Pathway to Space with Four Astronauts"
Axiom Space, in partnership with SpaceX, is disrupting Europe's traditional pathway to space by offering privately funded missions for European astronauts, including those from the European Space Agency's (ESA) astronaut reserve pool. Countries like Sweden and Poland are paying substantial amounts to send their nationals to space through contracts brokered by ESA, raising questions about the benefits to European taxpayers who fund the agency's operations. The arrangement with Axiom Space and the costs involved have sparked concerns about ESA's purpose of promoting the European space sector and the principle of geo-return for member states.