View source for Engineering:Inspiration4

{{Infobox spaceflight
| name                  = Inspiration4
| image                 = Inspiration4 Launch (210915-F-CG053-1004).jpg
| image_caption         = Launch of Inspiration4 on a [[Engineering:Falcon 9|Falcon 9]]
| mission_type          = [[Engineering:Private spaceflight|Private spaceflight]]
| operator              = [[Company:SpaceX|SpaceX]]
| website               = {{Official URL}} 
| mission_duration      = {{time interval|2021-09-16 00:02:56|2021-09-18 23:06:49|show=dhms|sep=space}}
| spacecraft            = {{ComV|SpaceX Crew Dragon|Resilience|full=nolink}}
| spacecraft_type       = {{ComV|SpaceX Crew Dragon}}
| manufacturer          = SpaceX
| launch_mass           = {{cvt|12519|kg}}
| landing_mass          = {{cvt|9616|kg}}
| crew_members          = {{Ubl|Jared Isaacman|[[Biography:Sian Proctor|Sian Proctor]]|Hayley Arceneaux|Christopher Sembroski}}
| launch_date           = September{{nbsp}}16, 2021, 00:02:56{{nbsp}}[[UTC]] (September{{nbsp}}15, 10:02:56{{nbsp}}pm{{nbsp}}EDT)
| launch_rocket         = [[Engineering:Falcon 9 Block 5|Falcon 9 Block 5]] [[Engineering:List of Falcon 9 first-stage boosters|B1062-3]]
| launch_site           = Kennedy, [[Astronomy:Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A|LC{{nbhyph}}39A]]
| recovery_by           = {{MV|GO Searcher}}
| landing_date          = September{{nbsp}}18, 2021, 23:06:49{{nbsp}}UTC (07:06:49{{nbsp}}pm{{nbsp}}EDT)<ref name="JSR20210918">{{cite web|url=https://planet4589.org/space/jsr/back/news.797.txt|title=JSR No. 797|publisher=Jonathan's Space Report|date=September 18, 2021|access-date=September 19, 2021}}</ref>
| landing_site          = [[Earth:Atlantic Ocean|Atlantic Ocean]], near Cape Canaveral, Florida ({{Coord|28.8|N|80.3|W}})
| orbit_reference       = [[Astronomy:Geocentric orbit|Geocentric orbit]]<ref name="livestream20210330">{{cite AV media|title=Meet The First All-Civilian Space Crew {{!}} Inspiration4 Livestream |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bkx2ENyAAs|date=March 30, 2021|access-date=March 30, 2021|via=YouTube}}</ref>
| orbit_regime          = [[Astronomy:Low Earth orbit|Low Earth orbit]]
| orbit_altitude        = {{cvt|585|km}}
| orbit_inclination     = 51.6°
| orbit_period          = 96.2 minutes
| apsis                 = gee
| insignia              = [[File:Inspiration4.png|frameless|upright=0.5|alt=Inspiration4 spaceflight participant mission patch]] [[File:SpaceX Inspiration4 insignia.png|frameless|upright=0.4|alt=SpaceX mission patch]]
| insignia_caption      = Inspiration4 mission patches (SpaceX patch on right)
| crew_photo            = Inspiration4 crew visits NASA's JSC (cropped).jpg
| crew_photo_caption    = From left: [[Biography:Sian Proctor|Proctor]], Isaacman, Sembroski and Arceneaux
| programme             = [[Software:SpaceX Dragon 2#Crew Dragon flights|Crew Dragon flights]]
| previous_mission      = [[Engineering:SpaceX Crew-2|SpaceX Crew-2]]
| next_mission          = [[Engineering:SpaceX Crew-3|SpaceX Crew-3]]
}}

'''Inspiration4''' (stylized as '''Inspirati④n''') was a 2021 [[Astronomy:Human spaceflight|human spaceflight]] operated by [[Company:SpaceX|SpaceX]] on behalf of [[Company:Shift4 Payments|Shift4 Payments]] CEO Jared Isaacman.<ref name="NYT-20210921" /> The mission launched the Crew Dragon [[Engineering:Crew Dragon Resilience|''Resilience'']] on September 16, 2021, at 00:02:56 [[Coordinated Universal Time|UTC]]{{efn|September 15, 2021, 20:02:56 Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)}} from Kennedy Space Center's [[Astronomy:Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A|Launch Complex 39A]] atop a [[Engineering:Falcon 9 Block 5|Falcon 9]] [[Engineering:Launch vehicle|launch vehicle]]. It placed the Dragon [[Engineering:Space capsule|capsule]] into a [[Astronomy:Low Earth orbit|low Earth orbit]].<ref name=":0"/> The mission ended on September 18, 2021, at 23:06:49 UTC,<ref name=":0">{{cite news|last=Gorman|first=Steve|date=September 13, 2021|title=SpaceX prepares to send first all-civilian crew into orbit|url=https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/science/spacex-gets-ready-launch-first-all-civilian-crew-orbit-2021-09-12/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210922195651/https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/science/spacex-gets-ready-launch-first-all-civilian-crew-orbit-2021-09-12/|archive-date=September 22, 2021|access-date=September 17, 2021|work=Reuters}}</ref> when ''Resilience'' splashed down in the Atlantic Ocean.

The trip was the first [[Engineering:Orbital spaceflight|orbital spaceflight]] with only private citizens aboard and was part of a charitable effort on behalf of [[Organization:St. Jude Children's Research Hospital|St. Jude Children's Research Hospital]] in Memphis, Tennessee.<ref name="NYT-20210921">{{cite news |last=Overbye |first=Dennis |title=What a Fungus Reveals About the Space Program - One thing's for sure: Escaping the dung heap doesn't come cheap.|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/21/science/fungus-pilobolus-space-astronauts.html |date=September 21, 2021 |work=The New York Times |access-date=September 24, 2021 }}</ref>  Isaacman was named mission commander. The hospital selected two commercial astronauts: cancer survivor Hayley Arceneaux and military veteran Christopher Sembroski. Shift4 selected entrepreneur [[Biography:Sian Proctor|Sian Proctor]], who was named pilot.

The mission overlapped with the 55th anniversary of [[Astronomy:Gemini 11|Gemini 11]], which in September 1966 had an apogee of approximately {{cvt|1368|km}}, the highest Earth orbit ever reached on a crewed flight until [[Engineering:Polaris Dawn|Polaris Dawn]] in 2024, which was also operated by SpaceX on behalf of Isaacman. The Inspiration4 flight reached an orbital altitude of approximately {{cvt|585|km}}, the highest achieved since [[Engineering:STS-103|STS-103]] in 1999 and the fifth-highest Earth orbital human spaceflight overall. By comparison, the [[Astronomy:International Space Station|International Space Station]] is at {{Convert|408|km|abbr=on}}. The Inspiration4 mission concluded with the first crewed [[Engineering:Splashdown|splashdown]] in the Atlantic Ocean since [[Engineering:Apollo 9|Apollo 9]] in 1969.

== Trip and crew ==

Inspiration4 was the first human spaceflight to [[Astronomy:Low Earth orbit|orbit]] Earth with only private citizens on board.<ref name="wapo20210915"/>{{efn|name=All-civilian|Many sources use the term "all-civilian". The Washington Post clarified its use of this term in one of its headlines when it later said "{{sic|comprised |hide=y}} entirely of civilians – nongovernment astronauts".<ref name=wapo2021-09-15-01a>{{cite news |last1=Davenport|first1=Christian|title=SpaceX makes history by launching Inspiration4, first all-civilian crew, to orbit|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/09/15/spacex-launch-civilian-flight/ |newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=September 16, 2021|archive-url=https://archive.today/20210916121803/https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/09/15/spacex-launch-civilian-flight/|archive-date=September 16, 2021|date=September 15, 2021|url-status=live|quote=The Inspiration4 mission may be the first time a spaceflight crew is {{sic|comprised |hide=y|entirely}} of civilians – nongovernment astronauts. There has been a long history of ordinary citizens going to space. In fact, that was NASA's goal at the beginning of the space shuttle era – to fly regular people on a routine basis}}</ref>}} The trip promoted and raised money for [[Organization:St. Jude Children's Research Hospital|St. Jude Children's Research Hospital]]. The crew and trip intended to raise upwards of US$100 million to expand St. Jude's childhood cancer research.<ref name="wapo20210225">{{cite news|title=As private companies erode government's hold on space travel, NASA looks to open a new frontier |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/02/25/nasa-space-future-private/|newspaper=The Washington Post|last=Davenport|first=Christian|date=February 25, 2021|access-date=February 26, 2021}}</ref><ref name="NBCfeb21"/><ref name="nsf20210201"/> Isaacman and his wife, Monica, personally donated US$125 million to the hospital, and contributions by SpaceX founder Elon Musk (US$55 million) and many others ultimately raised the total given to St. Jude to more than US$243 million, far more than initial target amount.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://time.com/6147411/spacex-inspiration-flight-raised-243m-for-st-jude/|title=SpaceX Flight Ultimately Raised $243M for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital|access-date=February 13, 2022|archive-date=March 12, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220312202748/https://time.com/6147411/spacex-inspiration-flight-raised-243m-for-st-jude/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Inspiration4 was led by [[Company:Shift4 Payments|Shift4 Payments]] CEO Jared Isaacman, an experienced pilot with qualification in military jets.<ref name="fcompany20150413"/><ref name="forbes20201007"/> Isaacman procured the flight and its four seats from [[Company:SpaceX|SpaceX]] and donated two of the seats to St. Jude. Hayley Arceneaux, a [[Medicine:Physician assistant|physician assistant]] at the hospital and a survivor of bone cancer, was selected by the hospital to board the flight.<ref name="APfeb21"/> St. Jude raffled the second seat as part of a successful campaign to raise US$200 million for the hospital, termed ''St. Jude Mission: Inspired''.<ref name="HouChrFEB21"/><ref>{{cite press release|title=New fundraising challenge tied to Inspiration4 launches today for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital|url=https://www.stjude.org/media-resources/news-releases/2021-fundraising-news/new-fundraising-challenge-for-inspiration4.html|access-date=September 16, 2021|publisher=St. Jude Children's Research Hospital|date=March 1, 2021}}</ref> A raffle draw competition was held, in which entrants needed to be a US citizen and had to donate a significant amount of money between US$10 to US$10,000. Kyle Hippchen, from [[Organization:Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University|Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University]], donated US$600 and ultimately won the raffle but decided to give the seat to his friend, U.S. Air Force veteran Christopher Sembroski, who had also entered the raffle by donating US$50. Hippchen weighed in over the allowed limit.<ref>{{cite web |last=Dunn |first=Marcia |url=https://apnews.com/article/spacex-science-business-florida-baa1d7e0be43b95044535af7e7e63c88 |title=He won a trip to space. Then he gave it away to a friend |work=Associated Press |date=January 27, 2022 |access-date=January 28, 2022}}</ref><ref name="sembroski-1">{{cite news|url=https://www.heraldnet.com/news/everetts-own-spaceman-thrilled-to-join-all-civilian-mission/|title=Everett's own spaceman thrilled to join all-civilian mission|last=Muhlstein|first=Julie|newspaper=The Everett Herald|date=April 18, 2021|access-date=April 23, 2021}}</ref><ref name="sembroski-2">{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/space/spacex-launch-2021-space-dragon-b1825974.html|title=SpaceX reveals civilian passengers for trip into space this year|last=Cuthbertson|first=Anthony|newspaper=The Independent|date=April 2, 2021|access-date=April 3, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Sheetz|first1=Michael|title=SpaceX's historic Inspiration4 launch reaches orbit successfully carrying private crew|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2021/09/15/watch-spacex-inspiration4-launch-live-updates.html|access-date=September 16, 2021|publisher=CNBC|date=September 15, 2021}}</ref> Entrepreneur [[Biography:Sian Proctor|Sian Proctor]] was selected by Shift4 Payments to board the flight through a competition modeled after ''Shark Tank'' that rewarded the best business idea to make use of Shift4's commerce solutions.<ref name="NYTfeb21"/> The panelists in the competition included [[Company:Salesforce|Salesforce]] CEO Marc Benioff, ''Fast Company'' editor Stephanie Mehta, former NASA engineer [[Biography:Mark Rober|Mark Rober]] and ''Bar Rescue'' host Jon Taffer.<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210224005339/en/Inspiration4-Reveals-Panel-of-Influential-Judges-to-Select-Entrepreneur-to-Join-First-All-Civilian-Mission-to-Space|title=Inspiration4 Reveals Panel of Influential Judges to Select Entrepreneur to Join First All-Civilian Mission to Space|last=Bianco|first=Brian|publisher=Business Wire|date=February 24, 2021|access-date=February 24, 2021}}</ref>

''Resilience'' was the first spacecraft to orbit with an all-rookie crew since [[Astronomy:Shenzhou 7|Shenzhou 7]] in 2008. The last time [[Organization:NASA|NASA]] launched an all-rookie orbital crew was [[Engineering:STS-2|STS-2]] in 1981.{{Efn|STS-2 Commander [[Astronomy:Joe Engle|Joe Engle]] was a NASA space flight rookie, but had been awarded U.S. Air Force Astronaut wings for passing {{cvt|50|mi}} while flying the [[Engineering:North American X-15|X-15]] [[Engineering:Rocket-powered aircraft|rocket plane]].}}

All four received commercial astronaut training by SpaceX. The training included lessons in orbital mechanics, operating in a microgravity environment, stress testing, emergency-preparedness training and mission simulations.<ref name="NYTfeb21">{{cite web|title=To Get on This SpaceX Flight, You Don't Have to Be Rich, Just Lucky|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/01/science/spacex-jared-isaacman.html|last=Chang|first=Kenneth|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=February 1, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210201210905/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/01/science/spacex-jared-isaacman.html|archive-date=February 1, 2021|date=February 1, 2021|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/valeriestimac/2021/02/01/spacex-announces-first-all-civilian-mission-to-space-inspiration4/?sh=2f0fdae71cf7|title=SpaceX Announces First All-Civilian Mission To Space, Inspiration4|last1=Stimac|first1=Valerie|work=Forbes|date=February 1, 2021|access-date=March 21, 2021}}</ref>

{{Spaceflight crew
| position1   = Commander
| crew1_up    = <!-- Per MOS:FLAG, flags may not be used to convey information on their own -->Jared Isaacman<ref name="HouChrFEB21"/>
| flights1_up = First

| position2   = Pilot
| crew2_up    = <!-- Per MOS:FLAG, flags may not be used to convey information on their own -->[[Biography:Sian Proctor|Sian Proctor]]<ref name="CNBCmar2021"/>
| flights2_up = First

| position3   = Medical officer
| crew3_up    = <!-- Per MOS:FLAG, flags may not be used to convey information on their own -->Hayley Arceneaux<ref name="APfeb21"/>
| flights3_up = First

| position4   = Payload specialist
| crew4_up    = <!-- Per MOS:FLAG, flags may not be used to convey information on their own -->Christopher Sembroski<ref name="CNBCmar2021"/>
| flights4_up = First
}}

== Spacecraft ==
[[File:Artist's Rendering Of The SpaceX Crew Dragon And Its Cupola To Be Flown On Inspiration4 Mission.jpg|thumb|Artist's rendering of ''Resilience'' for Inspiration4, with its [[nose cone]] open, revealing the [[Engineering:Cupola|cupola]]]]
The Inspiration4 mission was the second flight of ''Resilience'', following its use for [[Engineering:SpaceX Crew-1|Crew-1]].<ref name="NYTfeb21"/><ref name="ArsTechFEB21"/> It also marked the fourth crewed flight of a Crew Dragon.<ref name=WashPost-20210915-ZALQNJHWOFCDXJNMPVP7JUR63M>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/09/15/spacex-launch-civilian-flight/#link-ZALQNJHWOFCDXJNMPVP7JUR63M|title=SpaceX makes history by launching Inspiration4, first all-civilian crew, to orbit|newspaper=The Washington Post|author=Christian Davenport|date=September 15, 2021}}</ref> The spacecraft's [[Engineering:International Docking System Standard|docking adapter]], normally used to dock with the [[Astronomy:International Space Station|International Space Station]], was replaced for this mission by a single monolithic multi-layer domed [[Chemistry:Poly(methyl methacrylate)|plexiglass]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Inspiration4 crew describes "incredible perspective" from space|url=https://spaceflightnow.com/2021/09/17/inspiration4-crew-describes-incredible-perspective-from-space/|date=September 17, 2021|first=Stephen |last=Clark|publisher=Spaceflight Now|access-date=December 4, 2022}}</ref> window inspired by the [[Organization:Cupola (ISS module)|''Cupola'' module]], allowing 360° views outside ''Resilience''{{'}}s nose.<ref name="space-20210903">{{cite web|last=Malik |first=Tariq|url=https://www.space.com/spacex-dragon-cupola-inspiration4-private-spaceflight|title=SpaceX shows off its huge dome window on Dragon for private Inspiration4 spaceflight|publisher=SPACE.com|date=September 3, 2021|access-date=September 3, 2021}}</ref> The cupola was protected during launch and re-entry by the spacecraft's retractable nosecone, which also housed a custom camera, enabling photography of the vehicle's interior and exterior during flight.<ref name="Cupola"/> The cupola is removable so that ''Resilience'' can easily be reconfigured for missions in the future that require docking.<ref name="Cupola"/> Four Draco thrusters on the spacecraft's nose necessitated the installation of four heat shield tiles on the cupola's exterior, which protected the plexiglass dome from engine exhaust during propulsive maneuvers.<ref name="Cupola"/>

== Flight ==
[[File:Inspiration4 Launch (210915-F-CG053-1003).jpg|thumb|upright=1.0|right|The launch of Inspiration4]]

''Resilience'' launched on September 16, 2021, at 00:02:56 [[Coordinated Universal Time|UTC]] (September 15, 2021, at 20:02:56 EDT)<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kan |first1=Michael |title=Inspiration 4 Successfully Blasts Off for the First All-Civilian Orbital Space Flight |url=https://www.pcmag.com/news/how-to-watch-inspiration-4-blast-off-for-the-first-all-civilian-orbital |website=PC Mag |access-date=September 16, 2021 |date=September 16, 2021}}</ref> atop Falcon&nbsp;9 Block&nbsp;5 booster [[Engineering:List of Falcon 9 first-stage boosters|B1062]] from Kennedy Space Center's [[Astronomy:Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A|Launch Complex 39A]]. It was the third flight of this booster.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.space.com/spacex-launches-inspiration4-civilian-orbital-mission |title=SpaceX launches four civilians into orbit on historic Inspiration4 flight |last1=Thompson |first1=Amy |publisher=Space.com |date=September 16, 2021 |access-date=September 17, 2021}}</ref> The spacecraft was launched into an [[Astronomy:Orbital inclination|inclination]] of 51.6°. Coincidentally, Resilience's orbit is in the same orbital plane as the ISS's orbit.<ref>{{cite web |language=en |author=Marco Langbroek |url=https://sattrackcam.blogspot.com/2021/09/inspiration4-crew-dragon-over-old.html |title=Inspiration4 Crew Dragon over the old Leiden Observatory |date=September 17, 2021 |website=sattrackcam.blogspot.com}}</ref> With ''Resilience'' in orbit, three Dragon spacecraft were simultaneously orbiting Earth, as ''Endeavour'' flies the Crew-2 mission, and [[Engineering:Cargo Dragon C208|C208]] flies the [[Engineering:SpaceX CRS-23|CRS-23]] mission. Inspiration4 was the first crewed orbital spaceflight since [[Engineering:STS-125|STS-125]] in 2009 to not visit a [[Astronomy:Space station|space station]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Williams |first=Matt |title=SpaceX Launches Four Civilians to Space with Inspiration4! |url=https://www.universetoday.com/152570/spacex-launches-four-civilians-to-space-with-inspiration4/ |publisher=Universe Today |date=September 16, 2021 |access-date=September 17, 2021}}</ref>

Each crew member was assigned an individual call sign for communications. Isaacman's call sign was "Rook", Proctor's was "Leo", Arceneaux's was "Nova" and Sembroski's was "Hanks".<ref>{{cite web |title=Inspiration4's call signs: The crew of SpaceX's all-civilian mission have special nicknames |url=https://www.space.com/spacex-inspiration4-call-signs |last1=Thompson |first1=Amy |publisher=Space.com |date=September 15, 2021 |access-date=September 15, 2021}}</ref>

As the second-stage engine of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket cut off, Arceneaux reached into a pouch strapped to her leg and pulled out a plush toy dog that represents the therapy dogs employed by St.&nbsp;Jude. The toy, attached to a tether, began to float above Arceneaux's head and in doing so fulfilled its purpose as the Inspiration4 mission's "zero-g indicator". Hanging in the air, it provided a visual signal to Arceneaux and her three crewmates that they were now in the microgravity environment of outer space after reaching Earth orbit on September 16, 2021.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-091521a-inspiration4_zerog_indicator_jude.html |title=Inspiration4 "space puppy" doubles as zero-g indicator and fundraiser |publisher=Space.com |date=September 15, 2021 |access-date=September 16, 2021}}</ref>

The mission planned to include ultrasounds, microbe samples and a variety of in-flight health experiments (measure fluid shifts, record ECG activity, blood oxygen levels, heart rates, etc.) on the human bodies of ordinary citizens who have not been previously carefully screened and exhaustively trained as professional astronauts.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Thompson |first1=Amy |title=Inspiration4 crew planning ultrasounds, microbe samples and more to understand health during flight |url=https://www.space.com/inspiration4-health-medical-science-research-plans |access-date=September 16, 2021 |publisher=Space.com |date=September 15, 2021}}</ref> The study of the effects of spaceflight on human health and performance was done in collaboration with SpaceX, the Translational Research Institute for Space Health (TRISH) at Baylor College of Medicine and investigators at Weill Cornell Medicine.<ref name="Space.com">{{cite news |url=https://www.space.com/inspiration4-spacex-mission-research-human-health-mission |title=Inspiration4 astronauts to conduct health research on private SpaceX mission |last1=Gohd |first1=Chelsea |publisher=Space.com |date=September 1, 2021 |access-date=September 16, 2021}}</ref> During the journey, an alarm had sounded and was found to be associated with an apparent toilet malfunction.<ref name="CNN-20210925">{{cite news |last=Wattles |first=Jackie |title=An alarm went off on SpaceX's all-tourist space flight. The problem was the toilet |url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/25/tech/spacex-toilet-waste-management-system-scn/index.html |date=September 25, 2021 |work=CNN |access-date=September 25, 2021 }}</ref> The physiological changes in the SpaceX Inspiration4 civilian crew have been described by Jones and colleagues in the journal Nature.<ref>{{cite journal|url= https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-07648-x| title= Molecular and physiological changes in the SpaceX Inspiration4 civilian crew| date= 2024| doi= 10.1038/s41586-024-07648-x| last1= Jones| first1= Christopher W.| last2= Overbey| first2= Eliah G.| last3= Lacombe| first3= Jerome| last4= Ecker| first4= Adrian J.| last5= Meydan| first5= Cem| last6= Ryon| first6= Krista| last7= Tierney| first7= Braden| last8= Damle| first8= Namita| last9= MacKay| first9= Matthew| last10= Afshin| first10= Evan E.| last11= Foox| first11= Jonathan| last12= Park| first12= Jiwoon| last13= Nelson| first13= Theodore M.| last14= Suhail Mohamad| first14= Mir| last15= Byhaqui| first15= Syed Gufran Ahmad| last16= Aslam| first16= Burhan| last17= Tali| first17= Ummer Akbar| last18= Nisa| first18= Liaqun| last19= Menon| first19= Priya V.| last20= Patel| first20= Chintan O.| last21= Khan| first21= Sharib A.| last22= Ebert| first22= Doug J.| last23= Everson| first23= Aaron| last24= Schubert| first24= Michael C.| last25= Ali| first25= Nabila N.| last26= Sarma| first26= Mallika S.| last27= Kim| first27= Jangkeun| last28= Houerbi| first28= Nadia| last29= Grigorev| first29= Kirill| last30= Garcia Medina| first30= J. Sebastian| journal= Nature| volume= 632| issue= 8027| pages= 1155–1164| pmid= 38862026| pmc= 11357997| bibcode= 2024Natur.632.1155J| display-authors= 1}}</ref>

On September 18, 2021, at 23:06:49 UTC, ''Resilience'' splashed down in the Atlantic Ocean north of Cape Canaveral and was picked up by recovery ship ''[[Engineering:GO Searcher|GO Searcher]]'' roughly forty minutes afterward. Arceneaux was first to exit the spacecraft, followed by Proctor, Sembroski and Isaacman.<ref name="SC20210918">{{cite web |url=https://www.space.com/spacex-inspiration4-returns-to-earth |title=SpaceX's private Inspiration4 crew returns to Earth with historic splashdown off Florida coast |publisher=Space.com |date=September 18, 2021 |access-date=September 19, 2021}}</ref>

=== Orbital altitude ===
{{external media
| float  = right
| topic  = Launch and splashdown of the Inspiration4 mission on [[Company:YouTube|YouTube]]
| caption = 
| headerimage= 
| video1 = [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pv01sSq44w Inspiration4 &#124; Launch]
| video2 = [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpFKNNl47AM&ab_channel=SpaceX; Splashdown] 
}}

The flight plan aimed for an altitude of at least {{cvt|575|km}} and reached an altitude of {{cvt|585|km}},<ref>{{cite tweet |number=1438336379830915072 |user=spacex |title=Second phasing burn complete. Dragon and the @inspiration4x crew have reached a circular orbit of 585km – a new Dragon altitude record |date=September 15, 2021}}</ref> a height surpassing [[Engineering:STS-48|STS-48]] in 1991, which had an apogee of {{cvt|580|km}}, and the highest crewed spaceflight since [[Engineering:STS-103|STS-103]] in 1999 with an apogee of {{cvt|610|km}}. [[Astronomy:STS-31|STS-31]], the launch of the [[Astronomy:Hubble Space Telescope|Hubble Space Telescope]] at {{cvt|621|km}} was the highest of the Space Shuttle program and fourth highest ever behind only two missions of the Gemini Program, Gemini&nbsp;10 and Gemini&nbsp;11 in 1966 with apogees of {{cvt|756|km}} and {{cvt|1368|km}} respectively, and [[Engineering:Polaris Dawn|Polaris Dawn]]'s {{cvt|1400|km}} apogee, making Inspiration4 the sixth highest Earth orbital crewed spaceflight in history; only 10 Apollo launches went beyond Earth's orbit. Achieving this altitude exposed the craft and crew to different radiation levels than those found on the [[Astronomy:International Space Station|International Space Station]].<ref name="wapo20210915">{{cite web |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/09/13/inspiration4-spacex-civlian-space-flight/ |title=They "could be our neighbors", and they're going to space. SpaceX gets ready to fly the Inspiration4 crew. |last1=Davenport |first1=Christian |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=September 15, 2021 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210913171752/https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/09/13/inspiration4-spacex-civlian-space-flight/ |archive-date=September 13, 2021 |date=September 13, 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref> The investigation of the effects of spaceflight on human health and performance was done in collaboration with SpaceX, the Translational Research Institute for Space Health (TRISH) at Baylor College of Medicine, and investigators at Weill Cornell Medicine.<ref name="Space.com"/>

Inspiration4 orbited at this altitude for two days and then lowered its altitude to about {{cvt|365|km}}, which it kept during the final day of the mission, in preparation for the re-entry and landing.<ref>{{cite tweet |number=1439243789269352454 |user=planet4589 |title=Latest TLEs for Insp4 show it in a 360 x 369 km x 51.6 deg orbit following yesterday evening's orbit lowering burns |date=September 18, 2021}}</ref>

== Media coverage ==
Media coverage of the mission has been widely positive, noting its charitable focus, duration and altitude achieved.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vox.com/recode/22675858/watch-space-inspiration4-launch-product-placement|title = SpaceX's latest mission was an infomercial (For charity)|date = September 15, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://aliennewsletter.substack.com/p/alien-newsletter-10-the-simultaneous|title=Alien Newsletter #10: The Simultaneous Rise and Fall of the Anthropocene|date=September 16, 2021}}</ref> The mission was documented in real time in a five-episode docuseries entitled ''[[Astronomy:Countdown: Inspiration4 Mission to Space]]'', released on the subscription streaming service [[Company:Netflix|Netflix]] in September 2021. The crew also starred in a Netflix special named "A StoryBots Space Adventure" released also in Netflix. The special is also posted in Youtube.<ref>{{Citation |title=A StoryBots Space Adventure FULL EPISODE {{!}} Netflix Jr | date=September 15, 2021 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJWkgyhE4YQ&list=PLPphPHIzdSQOeP0e_NgQccJ76jMKRdXuU&index=53 |access-date=March 17, 2024 |language=en}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Astronomy:Space tourism|Space tourism]]
* [[Astronomy:Axiom Mission 1|Axiom Mission 1]]
* [[Engineering:Space Adventures Crew Dragon mission|Space Adventures Crew Dragon mission]]
* [[Astronomy:Polaris program|Polaris program]]
* List of fully civilian crewed orbital spaceflights
* [[Engineering:Timeline of private spaceflight|Timeline of private spaceflight]]

== Notes ==
{{Notelist}}

== References ==
{{Reflist|refs=

<ref name="ArsTechFEB21">{{cite web |last=Berger |first=Eric |title=SpaceX announces first "free flyer" human spaceflight|url=https://arstechnica.com/science/2021/02/spacex-announces-first-free-flyer-human-spaceflight/|publisher=Ars Technica|access-date=February 1, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210201223311if_/https://arstechnica.com/science/2021/02/spacex-announces-first-free-flyer-human-spaceflight/|archive-date=February 1, 2021|date=February 1, 2021}}</ref>

<ref name=fcompany20150413>{{cite web|last=Segran|first=Elizabeth|date=April 13, 2015|title=Meet The Fighter-Jet-Flying 32-Year-Old On Top Of The Payments Industry|work=Fast Company |url=https://www.fastcompany.com/3044942/meet-the-fighter-jet-flying-32-year-old-on-top-of-the-payments-industry|access-date=August 23, 2020}}</ref>

<ref name=forbes20201007>{{cite web|last=Tognini|first=Giacomo|date=October 7, 2020|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/giacomotognini/2020/10/07/meet-the-new-billionaire-who-dropped-out-of-high-school-and-flies-fighter-jets-for-fun|title=Meet The New Billionaire Who Dropped Out of High School and Flies Fighter Jets for Fun|access-date=February 1, 2021|work=Forbes}}</ref>

<ref name="HouChrFEB21">{{cite web|last=Leinfelder|first=Andrea|url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/space/article/SpaceX-tech-entrepreneur-Jared-Isaacman-invite-15915504.php|title=SpaceX, tech entrepreneur Jared Isaacman invite the public to apply for ride into space|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210201232147/https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/space/article/SpaceX-tech-entrepreneur-Jared-Isaacman-invite-15915504.php|archive-date=February 1, 2021|newspaper=Houston Chronicle|access-date=February 1, 2021|date=February 1, 2021|url-status=dead}}</ref>

<ref name="NBCfeb21">{{cite web|last=Chow|first=Denise|title=SpaceX announces first mission to space with all-civilian crew|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/science/space/spacex-announces-first-mission-space-all-civilian-crew-n1256390|publisher=NBC News|access-date=February 1, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210201211034/https://www.nbcnews.com/science/space/spacex-announces-first-mission-space-all-civilian-crew-n1256390|archive-date=February 1, 2021|date=February 1, 2021|url-status=dead}}</ref>

<ref name="nsf20210201">{{cite web|url=https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2021/02/spacex-announces-inspiration4/|title=SpaceX announces Inspiration4, all-civilian space mission in support of St Jude's Hospital |publisher=NASASpaceFlight.com|first=Thomas|last=Burghardt|date=February 1, 2021|access-date=February 23, 2021}}</ref>

<ref name="APfeb21">{{cite web|last=Dunn|first=Marcia|title=Bone cancer survivor to join billionaire on SpaceX flight|website=Associated Press|url=https://apnews.com/article/bone-cancer-survivor-spacex-arceneaux-16cc1a859b91e7711229b2c2c3da8bc9|agency=AP News|access-date=February 22, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210222144503/https://apnews.com/article/bone-cancer-survivor-spacex-arceneaux-16cc1a859b91e7711229b2c2c3da8bc9|archive-date=February 22, 2021|date=February 22, 2021|url-status=dead}}</ref>

<ref name="CNBCmar2021">{{cite web|last=Sheetz|first=Michael|title=Meet the full crew of the Inspiration4 mission flying with SpaceX in September|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2021/03/30/spacex-inspiration4-full-crew-launching-in-september.html|publisher=CNBC|access-date=March 31, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210330203446/https://www.cnbc.com/2021/03/30/spacex-inspiration4-full-crew-launching-in-september.html|archive-date=March 30, 2021|date=March 30, 2021|url-status=dead}}</ref>

<ref name="Cupola">{{cite web|date=September 2, 2021|title=SpaceX Inspiration4 astronauts reveal Dragon's "cupola" in the flesh|url=https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-crew-dragon-inspiration4-cupola-reveal/|access-date=September 2, 2021|publisher=Teslarati}}</ref>
}}

== External links ==

* {{Official website}}
* [https://www.netflix.com/ru-en/title/81441273 ''Countdown: Inspiration4 Mission to Space''] (Netflix documentary)

{{Dragon spaceflights}}
{{SpaceX missions and payloads}}
{{Orbital launches in 2021}}
{{Space tourists}}
{{Space tourism}}

[[Category:Commercial spaceflight]]
[[Category:SpaceX Dragon 2]]
[[Category:SpaceX human spaceflights]]

{{Sourceattribution|Inspiration4}}