Last week, SpaceX sent a civilian crew to into orbit around the Earth for the first time, with no trained astronauts on board. It was a landmark achievement, ushering in the company’s vision of what space tourism would look like in the future. The Crew Dragon capsule returned to Earth safely three days after heading to space, splashing down near the Florida coast.
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The mission saw billionaire Jared Isaacman and three other civilian crew members (Hayley Arceneaux, Sian Proctor and Chris Sembroski) conduct scientific research around the effects of spaceflight on the human body. Isaacman also used the occasion to raise money for the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, which relies primarily on donations to advance cancer-fighting medicine.
Splashdown! Welcome back to planet Earth, @Inspiration4x! pic.twitter.com/94yLjMBqWt
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) September 18, 2021
