SpaceX launches all-civilian crew on Inspiration4 mission
CBSN
An all-civilian crew streaked into space atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket Wednesday on the first privately funded, non-government trip to orbit, a historic three-day flight devoted to raising $200 million for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
Strapped in along with billionaire Jared Isaacman, who chartered the mission, were Chris Sembroski, an "everyday" aerospace engineer; Sian Proctor, an artist-educator who will become only the fourth Black woman to fly in space; and Hayley Arceneaux, a St. Jude cancer survivor who now works at the hospital.
"Inspiration4 is go for launch," Isaacman radioed flight controllers moments before liftoff. "Punch it, SpaceX!"
Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin launched six space tourists on a high-speed dash to the edge of space and back Friday, giving the passengers — including a husband and wife making their second flight — about three minutes of weightlessness and an out-of-this world view before the capsule made a parachute descent to touchdown at the company's west Texas flight facility.