SpaceX Launches Crew Dragon Spaceship With First-Ever Fully Civilian Crew on Board
© REUTERS / STEVE NESIUS
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WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The SpaceX company has launched the Falcon 9 carrier rocket that will place into orbit the Crew Dragon spaceship with the first-ever fully civilian crew on board.
The launch took place at 00:03 GMT on Thursday from Cape Canaveral, the broadcast of SpaceX showed. Aboard the spaceship were four private passengers, a feat which marked the first mission to space with an all civilian crew.
The lucky travelers included a tech entrepreneur, geoscientists, aerospace data engineer and a physician's assistant. Passengers ranged in age from 29 to 51.
Liftoff of @Inspiration4X! Go Falcon 9! Go Dragon! pic.twitter.com/NhRXkD4IWg
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) September 16, 2021
The four-person crew will spend a total of three days in orbit around Earth before ultimately re-entering the atmosphere and making a landing in the Atlantic Ocean.
Main engine cutoff and stage separation confirmed. Second stage engine burn underway pic.twitter.com/ihYA8ELUVA
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) September 16, 2021
First fast photo by our @FarryFaz ! #inspiration4 pic.twitter.com/IuH1bfPFiD
— Space Intelligence (@SpaceIntellige3) September 16, 2021
While the mission itself isn't the first time that civilians have gone into space, it does mark the first time that they have done so without having any professional astronauts onboard.
