SpaceX has made headlines as a supplier of rockets to mission operators for both commercial and government-funded orbital trips. Most recently, the company agreed to provide rockets to Axiom Space for its first four commercial missions to the ISS, beginning in January 2022. In addition, SpaceX will operate some of its own missions. Here’s what we know so far:
Inspiration4: Inspiration4 was a 3-day orbital mission launched on September 16, 2021, sponsored by Shift4 Payments CEO Jared Isaacman. It was the world’s first all-civilian mission to space, and part of a charitable effort to raise awareness and funds for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Inspiration4 launched from Kennedy Space Center and reached an orbital altitude of 364 miles before returning to Earth (the first crewed splashdown in the Atlantic Ocean since 1969).The crew was commanded by pilot, adventurer and CEO Jared Isaacman. Other crew members included Hayley Arceneaux (former St. Jude’s patient and current St. Jude’s Physician’s Assistant), Chris Sembroski (Air Force Veteran, data engineer and lifelong space enthusiast) and Dr. Sian Proctor (geoscientist, explorer, science communication specialist and 4x analog astronaut).
The crew will be commanded by pilot, adventurer and CEO of Shift4 Payments Jared Isaacman. Other crew members will include Hayley Arceneaux (former St. Jude’s patient and current St. Jude’s Physician’s Assistant), Chris Sembroski (Air Force Veteran, data engineer and lifelong space enthusiast) and Dr. Sian Proctor (geoscientist, explorer, science communication specialist and 4x analog astronaut).
dearMoon project: In 2018, SpaceX announced a 6-day circumlunar mission financed by Yusuka Maezawa. Maezawa, 8 civilians, and one or two crew members will circumnavigate the Moon in a SpaceX Starship. Maezawa hopes that the project will inspire art that promotes peace across the world. The Starship is still being tested and the mission is expected to occur no sooner than 2023.
Mars: SpaceX hopes to eventually land astronauts on Mars. The timeline for this journey is unknown.
More information will be added as it becomes available.
