SpaceX's first space tourists are back on Earth. They splashed down just off Florida.
Three days onboard a Crew Dragon spaceship, the Inspiration4 mission amateurs orbited Earth.
This was the first all-tourist flight into orbit. SpaceX has another one in the works.
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SpaceX and its four passengers emerged victorious from the end of the first all-tourist flight into orbit.
At 7:06 p.m. on Saturday, the Crew Dragon spaceship of the company splashed down just off Florida's coast. ET was carrying four amateur spacefarers: Jared Isaacman (billionaire businessman), Sian Proctor (geoscientist and science communicator), Hayley Arceneaux (physician assistant) and Chris Sembroski (engineer). None of them is professional astronauts.
Isaacman stated, "That was an incredible ride for us and we're just starting," on the livestream following the splashdown.
After Isaacman had chartered the flight to SpaceX, and given away three seats in a raffle with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, the unlikely trio came together. The mission was called Inspiration4.
Three days spent orbiting Earth by the Dragon capsule was the time that this motley crew spent. They flew 367 miles (590 km) higher than any other crew since the Space Shuttle era. They performed cognitive tests and had their organs scanned with an ultrasound to aid in scientific research. Sembroski plays the ukelele. Proctor created art. They were all impressed by the views
The Crew Dragon used its thrusters on Saturday night to propel itself to a high-speed plunge to Earth. Tiles on the spaceship's underbelly protected its passengers as friction superheated the atmosphere around it to a 3,500-degree-Fahrenheit plasma.
Parachutes ballooned out of the capsule a few miles above the Earth's surface. This likely gave the passengers an important jolt as it slowed down its fall.
The Crew Dragon fell into the Atlantic Ocean, bobbling there like a toasted marshmallow. It was covered in soot from its fiery descent. This is not the first time that Resilience capsule has survived such a fall. It was the same ship that took SpaceX's first astronaut crew to NASA's International Space Station last year and then returned them home in May.
Boat-based rescue crews rushed to the scene to lift the spaceship from the water and assist the passengers.
SpaceX has opened up private space tourism
The Inspiration4 crew in a Crew Dragon model spaceship. From left to right: Sian Proctor and Hayley Arceneaux. SpaceX
The safe return of the Inspiration4 crew is a significant step towards a new era in space tourism.
NASA did not run this mission. SpaceX did. Isaacman was the one who requested it. He selected the length, altitude, and activities of the crew. He also suggested a climb up Mount Rainier as part of their almost six-month training program.
SpaceX has already booked another tourist flight for January. A crew Dragon was chartered by Axiom Space to transport customers to the station for eight days.
Larry Connor, a Canadian investor Mark Pathy and Eytan Stipbe, an ex-Israeli fighter pilot, make up the AX-1 crew. The mission will be commanded by Michael Lpez-Alegra (ex-NASA astronaut) from Axiom Space.
Left to right, the Ax-1 crew members: Larry Connor (left), Larry Lpez-Alegra (right), Mark Pathy (right), and Eytan STibbe. Axiom Space
SpaceX is currently the only company that can launch humans to orbit from the US. It will launch the third Crew Dragon flight for NASA in October.
SpaceX created this spaceship using NASA's Commercial Crew Program. This competition awarded funding to SpaceX to help develop commercial spacecraft.
Boeing was also awarded funding through the program to build a spaceship capable of carrying humans. However, technical problems and delays have caused delays. Before it can fly humans, it must complete an uncrewed test flight at the ISS.
NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida launches the Inspiration4 mission on September 15, 2021. Inspiration4/John Kraus
SpaceX also ended the US's nine year hiatus in domestic human orbit flight in May 2020 when Crew Dragon flew two NASA astronauts into space. NASA also has SpaceX as its next astronauts to the moon.
SpaceX was founded by Elon Musk in 2002. He hopes to one day send SpaceX's vehicles to Mars and establish a settlement.
Isaacman agrees with this vision.
Isaacman stated that he is a true believer during a February press conference. "I have drank the Kool-Aid to see the great ambition of humankind to be a multi-planetary species. I believe that all of us want to live in Star Wars or Star Trek worlds where people jump in their spacecraft. And that's what I know will happen. Inspiration4 is the first step.
