US private companies achieve major milestones in space exploration in 2024

In 2024, US private space companies achieved significant milestones in space exploration. SpaceX's Axiom Mission 3 successfully transported a crew to the International Space Station, marking the first all-European commercial astronaut mission. Virgin Galactic's VSS Unity completed its Galactic 06 flight, showcasing the potential of commercial space tourism. Blue Origin also launched two successful missions, NS-25 and NS-26, focusing on scientific payloads and private passengers. The Polaris Dawn mission made history with the first commercial spacewalk, while ULA's Atlas V launched Boeing's Starliner, returning human spaceflight to Cape Canaveral. These developments highlight the growing role of private companies in space exploration.