Inspiration4 crew ‘healthy, happy’ as they orbit Earth

ORLANDO, Fla. – The Inspiration4 crew, four civilians who made an historic launch Wednesday night from Florida’s Space Coast, is “healthy, happy and resting comfortably,” having traveled around the Earth 15 times during their first day in space, SpaceX tweeted just after midnight Friday.

The launch took place at 8:02 p.m. on Wednesday as a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket sent the crew into orbit aboard a Crew Dragon space capsule.

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The crew consisted of two contest winners, a health care worker and their rich sponsor, who made the ambitious leap in space tourism possible.

“The @Inspiration4x crew is healthy, happy, and resting comfortably. Before the crew went to bed, they traveled 5.5 times around Earth, completed their first round of scientific research, and enjoyed a couple of meals,” SpaceX tweeted.

Hours later, the crew orbited more than 15 times for their first day in space.

Leading the flight is Jared Isaacman, 38, who made his fortune with a payment-processing company he started in his teens.

Joining Isaacman is Hayley Arceneaux, 29, a childhood cancer survivor who works as a physician assistant where she was treated — St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. Isaacman has pledged $100 million out of his own pocket to the hospital and is seeking another $100 million in donations.

Also along for the ride: Sweepstakes winners Chris Sembroski, 42, a data engineer in Everett, Washington, and Sian Proctor, 51, a community college educator in Tempe, Arizona.

The historic launch created an amazing view for people all across Central Florida as the rocket streaked across the sky, leaving glowing vapor from its thrusters in its wake.

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[PHOTOS: Historic Inspiration4 launch creates breathtaking light show in the sky]

The crew will spend three days circling the world from an unusually high orbit — 100 miles (160 kilometers) higher than the International Space Station — before splashing down off the Florida coast this weekend, tentatively scheduled for 7 p.m. Saturday.

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