History-Making Inspiration4 Mission Changes Human Spaceflight
The history-making Inspiration4 mission has changed the course of human spaceflight with its successful launch just after 8:00 p.m. EDT Wednesday.
“One of the key things we’ve focused on since Inspiration4 was first announced was how we will be able to make a significant contribution to help St. Jude cure childhood cancer here on Earth.”
Jared Isaacman, Shift4 Payments CEO and commander of Inspiration4.
SpaceX modified a crew Dragon for the history-making Inspiration4 mission by replacing the docking port in the nose of the spacecraft with a transparent dome that will give the crew an unobstructed view of space.
The mission is the first orbital mission to fly with an entirely private crew. The Inspiration4 crew – consisting of Mission Commander Jared Isaacman, Mission Pilot Dr. Sian Proctor, Medical Officer Hayley Arceneaux, and Mission Specialist Chris Sembroski, has focused extensively on mission training and preparation since March, spending the past several months completing a wide range of training activities including centrifuge training, Dragon simulations, observations of other SpaceX launch operations, Zero-G plane training, altitude training and additional classroom, simulation and medical testing. This focused preparation was essential in team development and being ready to execute their role as the first commercial crew to orbit the Earth.
The crew has taken not just personal mementos on the flight, but things that didn’t exist even a year ago, much less 60 years ago. Their payload will include the first-ever minted NFT song to be played in orbit, created by the Grammy Award-winning rock band Kings of Leon.
The minted NFT, a never-before-released performance of “Time in Disguise” from the band’s newest album, is among a handful of unique items that will go into orbit and be auctioned off on YellowHeart to support St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and its $200 million Inspiration4 fundraising campaign to accelerate research advancements and save more children worldwide.
The Inspiration4 payload auction items aboard the history-making Inspiration4 mission also includes a variety of iconic and culturally significant items donated to St. Jude, including:
Inspiration4 mission jackets featuring unique artwork by St. Jude patients, and original artwork by the Inspiration4 crew members, that were created by Space for Art Foundation co-founders artist Ian Cion and retired NASA astronaut Nicole Stott, and handmade by spacesuit replica artist Ryan Nagata.
66 pounds of hops that, upon return, will be used to brew an out-of-this world beer by the brewers of Samuel Adams. As the official beer of Inspiration4, Sam Adams has committed a maximum $100,000 donation to St. Jude.
A Fisher Apollo 11 50th Anniversary Space Pen & Coin Set containing a piece of material from Apollo 11.
A ukulele from Martin Guitar that crew member Chris Sembroski will play in space.
50 art NFTs from 50 different artists will be auctioned on Origin Protocol's NFT platform in collaboration with Subtractive, including an NFT that crew member Dr. Sian Proctor will bring into space that was also a piece of physical art that previously traveled to the Mariana Trench, making it the first piece of art that went to the furthest ocean depths and then into orbit.
“One of the key things we’ve focused on since Inspiration4 was first announced was how we will be able to make a significant contribution to help St. Jude cure childhood cancer here on Earth,” said Jared Isaacman, Shift4 Payments CEO and commander of Inspiration4. “Every item we are bringing is going to help us reach our goal and allow us to share this experience with so many others who want to offer support.”
The funds raised by the auction will contribute to the more than $128 million already committed toward the $200 million Inspiration4 fundraising campaign, according to Richard C. Shadyac Jr., President and CEO of ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
(Source: Inspiration4. Images from SpaceX launch video)