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SpaceX announces Inspiration4, first commercial astronaut mission to orbit Earth

There are still three seats available for aspiring astronauts who want in on this journey.

Bill Lavoy

February 1, 2021 2:50 PM

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It’s hard to argue against the impact that SpaceX has had on space flight over the last several years, and it doesn’t appear that will cease anytime soon. Today, SpaceX announced the first commercial astronaut mission to orbit Earth: the Dragon spacecraft.

The flight will include four people, including Jared Isaacman, founder and CEO of Shift4 Payments (NYSE: FOUR), as well as three people yet to be determined. In fact, those interested in joining the multi-day mission orbiting Earth can try and snag a seat from the Inspiration4 website.

Announcing the first commercial astronaut mission to orbit Earth aboard Dragon → https://t.co/MbESvnakAD pic.twitter.com/ukLsjFfRjk

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) February 1, 2021

As SpaceX explains in the announcement post, those selected will undergo vigorous training before they can launch, which won’t happen earlier than the fourth quarter of this year.

The announcement goes on to explain that this journey will see the Dragon spacecraft and its occupants orbiting Earth every 90 minutes, with each step the journey monitored closely by SpaceX mission control. The mission will conclude with the Dragon reentering Earth’s atmosphere and making a soft water landing.

To read more about SpaceX and the Inspiration4 mission, be sure to check back frequently with Shacknews.

Bill Lavoy

Managing Editor

Bill, who is also known as Rumpo, is a lifelong gamer and Toronto Maple Leafs fan. He made his mark early in his career through guide writing and a deep understanding of editorial SEO. He enjoys putting in the work to create a great content, be it a wild feature or grinding out an in-depth collectible guide. Tweet him @RumpoPlays if you have a question or comment about one of his articles.