--- title: "SpaceX Successfully Launches First All-Civilian Space Mission" description: "SpaceX has successfully launched the first-ever all-civilian crew into orbit on board its Crew Dragon spacecraft, a historic moment." date: "2021-09-15" modified: "2021-09-15" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/spacex-successfully-launches-first-all-civilian-space-mission" categories: - "Space" - "SpaceX" tags: - "crew dragon" - "falcon 9" - "SpaceX" --- # SpaceX Successfully Launches First All-Civilian Space Mission ![SpaceX has successfully launched the first-ever all-civilian crew into orbit on board its Crew Dragon spacecraft, a historic moment.]() *\Image: SpaceX\* SpaceX has successfully launched the its first all-civilian crew into orbit on board its Crew Dragon spacecraft. The Falcon 9 rocket took off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 8:02 pm EDT. It's a major milestone in the history of private spaceflight. None of the four passengers went through NASA's rigorous astronaut training, and now they'll spend the next three days watching the Earth below through a [massive 180-degree glass dome](), totaling over 2,000 square inches of viewing area, according to SpaceX. https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1438292559252557834 The Inspiration4 launch was [funded]() by billionaire adventurer Jared Isaacman. The rest of the [team]() is made up of: • Hayley Arceneaux, a 29-year-old [bone cancer survivor]() and physician's assistant. • Chris Sembroski, an aeronautical engineer, Air Force veteran, and former Space Camp counselor. • Sian Proctor, science communication specialist and community college professor from Tempe, Arizona. The plan is to accelerate to an altitude of over 350 miles, well above the altitude of the International Space Station. The team will spend their time in orbit gazing down at the surface of Earth, eating astronaut food, and even [watching their favorite movies](). It's the highest altitude human astronauts have traveled [since the last Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission]() in 2009. The team will also be collecting valuable biomedical data, including [taking blood samples](), while traveling through space. The team will even use an AI-powered ultrasound device called Butterfly IQ+ to scan their organs. The Falcon 9 first stage that carried the crew into space dubbed B1062 has actually boosted spacecraft [into orbit twice before](). The Crew Dragon Resilience spacecraft housing the crew has also [carried a previous crew to the International Space Station]() in November. We're excited to follow the historic launch and there will certainly be plenty more to cover, so stay tuned. **READ MORE:** [Inspiration4 | Launch]() \[YouTube\] **More on the launch:** *[How to Watch SpaceX's Historic All-Civilian Space Launch Tonight]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()