It turns out that private spaceflight is a very personal business. Until Friday afternoon, the four members of the Inspiration4 team had released practically no public information. They didn't have any film or audio of themselves floating in the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft, saying hello to the rest of the globe.
However, a few days later, the crew members provided a short tour of the spacecraft and discussed their work!
Mission commander Jared Isaacman, Hayley Arceneaux, Christopher Sembroski, and Sian Proctor make up the Inspiration4 crew.
Shift4 Payments was founded by Isaacman, a millionaire. Proctor is a science communicator who gained a spot in the program through a competition. Arceneaux is a cancer survivor who is now working at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Sembroski, meanwhile, is a veteran of the United States Air Force.
How Does It Feel Like Living in Space?
According to Digital Trends, Isaacman stated that they are 580 kilometers above the Earth and traveling at a speed of 7.6 kilometers per second. He went on to say that they view the globe every 90 minutes.
The team showed the Crew Dragon's interior, and their space perspective, including an aurora seen as the crew, sailed over Europe. They get a spectacular view from the Dragon's cupola, the biggest window ever flown in space. This is not a typical feature of a Crew Dragon spacecraft; instead, it was fitted specifically for this trip. Unlike most other Crew Dragon flights, this flight did not dock with the International Space Station and so did not require docking hardware.
The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is carrying the Inspiration4 crew launches from Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on September 15, 2021. - The Inspiration4 mission, the first to send an all-civilian crew to orbit, will venture deeper into space than the International Space Station.
The crew also shared some of the medical research they've been doing. Proctor also presented the artwork she's been working on while in orbit. Along with art, the group has been listening to space music on a bespoke ukulele played by Sembroski.
In addition to the live report, the team has taped an interview with patients at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, rang the New York Stock Exchange's closing bell on Friday, September 17, and chatted with actors Tom Cruise and Elon Musk, the creator of SpaceX.
Inspiration4 Crew Brings Stuffed Dog With Them
According to Business Insider, the Inspiration4 crew is joined by a stuffed dog dressed in a spacesuit identical to the other passengers.
The adorable plush puppy is based on two real-life dogs named Puggle and Huckleberry that live at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
The two dogs, a golden retriever, and a Goldendoodle act as comfort pets at the children's hospital for cancer kids who are still undergoing treatment.
Last year, the Goldendoodle and golden retriever began their duty at the hospital after graduating from a service-dog school.
However, the plush toy that soared into space was inspired by two canines who visit children in hospitals facing cancer.
.@Inspiration4 has reached zero gravity and unleashed their zero gravity indicator! Check out our gift shop to get your own space buddy dog plush inspired by specially trained facility dogs, Huckleberry and Puggle! https://t.co/PhXFZDTQzG pic.twitter.com/jAgLqgizaL
— St. Jude (@StJude) September 16, 2021
During their space transmission, one of the crew members, Arceneaux, said that both Puggle and Huckleberry accompany the youngsters with cancer when they are afraid.
Furthermore, the two dogs go above and above by going to the MRI machine or the CAT scan to demonstrate to the children that it is safe to access these medical instruments.
It was also the reason, according to Arceneaux, that Inspiration4 intended to transport the cute canines to space, at least in the form of a plush toy.
It's worth noting that Arceneaux is a physician's assistant at St. Jude, so she's familiar with the stories of youngsters battling sickness within the hospital.
RELATED ARTICLE: Kings of Leon Band Joins SpaceX's Private Inspiration4 Spaceflight; How Is It Possible?
Check out more news and information on SpaceX in Science Times.
