Space X 'All Civilian' Mission First Passengers: Bone Cancer Survivor Hayley Arceneaux Is Youngest American in Space

Cancer survivor Hayley Arceneaux dreamed of visiting the seven continents of the world but was instead given the rare opportunity for a trip to orbit space. Arceneaux will be the first person with a prosthetic body part to get on the SpaceX capsule for a once-in-a-lifetime trip to space. Billionaire entrepreneur Jared Isaacman and St. Jude Hospital 38-year-old billionaire selected 29-year-old Arceneaux to be one of the first four passengers of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.

Who Is Hayley Arceneaux

Arceneaux works as a physician assistant at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis. Twenty years ago, she was treated with bone cancer in St. Jude, wherein she was given metal rods to replace parts of her left leg bones. She was 10 years old when she received her first treatment after her mom found a bump on her left knees. After being diagnosed with a cancerous tumor, Haley's black belt taekwondo career needed to stop.

Long sessions of chemotherapy followed, which resulted in her baldness. Despite her situation, Arceneaux helped in St. Jude's fundraiser, making her a recipient of the Young Heroes awards from Louisiana Public Broadcasting. St. Jude granted her dream to become a nurse so she can help other people. She works with children who suffer from leukemia and lymphoma.

Apart from being the first person with a prosthetic body part to orbit Earth, she will become the youngest American to travel space. She even wondered if she will be getting a passport stamp for her trip. But after realizing that she won't, she said she would be drawing a star and moon on her passport to mark the special day. Isaacman chose her as a frontliner health worker who is a symbol of hope.

Orthopedic surgeon Dr. Michael D. Neel said that despite not being able to "play contact sports on Earth," his patient Arceneaux should not be limited on the trip.

“They’ll be able to see a cancer survivor in space, especially one that has gone through the same thing that they have,” Arceneaux said, according to New York Times. “It’s going to help them visualize their future.”

SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket First Passengers

The rocket will take off from Florida late this year for its first crewed mission to circle Earth. Aboard the all-civilian trek are Isaacman, Arceneaux, and two other people.

The third passenger is a random sweepstake for a contest they are raising for a children's hospital. The last seat will be from entrepreneurs who use Isaacman's credit card processing company Shift4 Payments e-commerce tool, AP News reported.

This space adventure is made possible by 38-year-old billionaire Isaacman who bought the rocket launch from SpaceX.

Check out more news and information on SpaceX on Science Times.