However, the increasing privatization of space access raises questions about America's future role in space exploration. While another private company, SpaceX, currently provides the only means for launching astronauts from U.S. soil, Oluseyi emphasized the importance of maintaining both public and private investment in space.

A SpaceX capsule carrying four astronauts on the private Ax-4 mission hurtled through the Earth's atmosphere early Tuesday, paralleling the California coast with a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off...

"We will spread the word in our countries that these things are within our reach. These things are possible even for smaller countries like ours," Kapu said during Sunday's farewell ceremony, which e...