SpaceX will launch its first-ever all-civilian mission soon, bringing a few lucky individuals on a multi-day voyage to space and back. Three seats are up for grabs to members of the public, but not everyone will be eligible for the journey. SpaceX has been quite busy of late, from producing over a hundred satellites on a monthly basis to support its Starlink project to launching rockets on space missions.
In 2020 alone, the privatized aeronautics company successfully launched more than 20 space missions. This includes manned space travel, unmanned supply runs and even historic lift-offs, to name a few. Now, SpaceX is plotting a course for yet another historical space odyssey, where its participants won't have to be as wealthy as its CEO to take part.
According to its mission log, SpaceX will be utilizing a reusable Falcon 9 rocket to launch the world's first commercial astronaut space flight mission, known as Inspiration4. The company is targeting a launch date that's no earlier than the fourth quarter of 2021. As for the voyage itself, it will last for several days, starting with its launch at Complex 39A of NASA's Kennedy Space Center, traveling through a “customized flight path” that's “carefully monitored” by SpaceX mission control, before finally landing off the coast of Florida.
A Lucky Few Heading To Space
Unlike SpaceX's militaristic ventures, one of the purpose of the Inspiration4 mission is to raise awareness and funds for St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital. The mission will be led by decorated pilot and Shift4Payments CEO Jared Isaacman, who will be occupying the Leadership seat. Isaacman will also be donating seats to individuals that meet certain requirements across three categories: Generosity, Prosperity and Hope. To be eligible for the Generosity seat, participants are asked to donate at least $10 to the St. Jude's hospital fundraising campaign. Besides the grand prize, there will be additional rewards on offer including hats and autographed posters. Those who don't want to donate can still enter the sweepstakes by filling in a free entry form. As for the Prosperity seat, participants need to sign-up for Isaacman's Shift4Shop ecommerce platform, and post their inspirational business startup story on social media. When it comes to the Hope seat, SpaceX explains this will be allocated to "a St. Jude ambassador with direct ties to the mission."
Regardless of the seat, the entry process will end on February 28, with the finalized crew due to be announced in March. It's worth noting that only legal U.S. residents over the age of eighteen are eligible, and that the winners will have to be physically and psychologically fit to undergo SpaceX's various astronaut and emergency preparedness training before embarking on the mission. While securing a seat might sound unlikely, it's still an indication of SpaceX moving to the next stage by allowing civilians to take part in space missions, and not just professional astronauts or their stuffed toys.
Source: SpaceX, Inspiration4