The spacecraft from SpaceX (USA) has just launched to take the first private passengers into space without professional astronauts accompanying them.
The four-member crew on the Inspiration4 mission officially entered orbit on the evening of September 15 (US time), according to CNN. This marks the first time SpaceX has launched a spacecraft solely carrying tourists into space without professional astronauts, kicking off the era of space tourism.
The crew consists of 38-year-old billionaire Jared Isaacman, who funded the trip; 29-year-old Hayley Arceneaux, a childhood cancer survivor and currently a physician assistant at St. Jude Hospital; 51-year-old Sian Proctor, a PhD in geology and a university lecturer; and 42-year-old Chris Sembroski, an employee of the military company Lockheed Martin.
The three-day journey aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft is seen as the beginning of a new era of space travel for ordinary citizens, rather than just for government-selected astronauts, according to CNN.
Inspiration4 launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. (Photo: SpaceX).
Two and a half minutes after being launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, the rocket’s booster system shut down its engines and detached, falling back to Earth.
The four passengers will spend three days in the Crew Dragon capsule, freely orbiting at an altitude of 563 kilometers—160 kilometers higher than the orbit of the International Space Station.
The crew has meticulously planned their itinerary for the next three days in space.
They will have time to communicate with their families through NASA’s TDRS communication system. The crew will also conduct experiments.
All four members on board can simultaneously observe their surroundings through a large dome window known as the Cupola.
The crew is expected to return to Earth on September 18 (US time).
