What Is Inspiration4? 5 Things To Know About First-Ever All-Civilian SpaceX Mission To Space | EXPLAINED

Inspiration4 mission, which is the world's first all-civilian mission to Earth's orbit, will carry four private citizens to space and aims to raise funds for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

Inspiration4 launch nears as intense training schedule continues | Image Courtesy: NASA

New Delhi: On September 15, four civilians will blast off into space as part of the Inspiration4 mission of SpaceX and NASA. 

The mission will be launched from Launch Complex 39A of the Kennedy Space Center, which was the embarkation point for the Apollo and Space Shuttle Missions, and also the Crew Dragon Demo-2 Mission.

What Is Inspiration4?

Inspiration4 is the world's first all-civilian mission to orbit. Billionaire Jared Isaacman, founder and Chief Executive Officer of Shift4 Payments and a pilot and an adventurer, will be commanding the mission. The mission has been named in recognition of the four-person crew, all of them private citizens. They will raise awareness and funds for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. The crew will be carried to space in a Crew Dragon capsule, according to the official website of the Inspiration4 mission.

What Is The Duration Of The Trip?

The Inspiration4 mission will launch on September 15 and will carry the astronauts to Earth's orbit. The crew will circle the Earth for three days before splashing down in the Atlantic Ocean. Unlike previous Crew Dragon missions, the crew won't go to the International Space Station and shall remain in orbit. Hence, the docking port of the spacecraft has been removed, and replaced with a dome window, which will help the crew get picturesque views of the Earth, the Inspiration4 mission website says. 

Who Are The 4 Civilians?

Jared Isaacman, Hayley Arceneaux, Chris Sembroski, and Dr Sian Proctor are the four civilians selected for this mission. Isaacman, Arceneaux, Sembroski, and Dr Sian represent the mission pillars of Leadership, Hope, Generosity and Prosperity, respectively.

Isaacman, the benefactor and commander of the mission, is considered one of the industry's most influential business leaders and is an accomplished jet pilot who can fly commercial as well as military aircraft. 

Hayley Arceneaux is a physician assistant at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and pediatric cancer survivor. 

Chris Sembroski supported the St. Jude mission of 'Finding cures. Saving children. He has worked as a US Space Camp counselor, and also served in the US Air Force. He represents 'Generosity'.

Dr. Sian Proctor is a geoscientist, explorer and science communication specialist, who has always been passionate about space exploration. She is an analog astronaut, which is someone who conducts activities in simulated space conditions. She represents 'Prosperity'.

The team has been undergoing training for the mission for the past few months. 

Which Rocket And Spacecraft Will Be Used For Inspiration4 Mission?

The Crew Dragon Spacecraft will be launched atop SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket, which is a reusable, two-stage rocket, designed for the reliable and safe transport of people and payloads into Earth and beyond. This is the world's first orbital-class reusable rocket, which means it is a reusable rocket powerful enough to launch objects into orbit around Earth, or even beyond, depending upon the size of the payload. 

The Dragon spacecraft, which will carry the crew, has the capacity to ferry up to seven passengers to and from Earth orbit, and beyond. In May 2020, it became the first private spacecraft to take humans to the International Space Station. 

Crew Dragon will travel at more than 17,000 miles per hour, and the astronauts will conduct experiments to expand our knowledge of the universe. The cargo consists of crew essentials as well as scientific equipment designed for microgravity research and experimentation, which together weigh 365 pounds. 

The design of the dome window of the Crew Dragon Spacecraft is inspired by the Cupola, which is an observatory module built by the European Space Agency, on the International Space Station.

What Is The Purpose Of The Mission?

Inspiration4 is meant to conduct valuable research, and inspire projects that otherwise can't overcome the high barriers of traditional space-based research, by providing access to space. 

By raising funds and awareness for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, the mission believes, the crew will represent a new era for human spaceflight and exploration.