HAYLEY ARCENEAUX

A crew of 12 "disability ambassadors" successfully completed a weightless flight Sunday (Oct. 17) in the pursuit to make space accessible for all.

2021 has been a whirlwind for private space tourism, with this week especially crucial for the ventures founded by Jeff Bezos and Sir Richard Branson.

William Shatner got his oldest-in-space record for free, but most commercial astronauts will have to pay for their historic milestones.

Jared Isaacman, commander of the SpaceX Inspiration4 mission, talked to CNBC in-depth about the three-day spaceflight experience.

The four private astronauts that flew on SpaceX's Inspiration4 mission got their astronaut wings Friday (Oct. 1).

Kids battling cancer across the globe have a new role model.

Sian Proctor, who lifted off earlier this month with three crewmates on the first all-civilian space launch, tells NPR that she "couldn't get enough" of the view from orbit.

A new video shows the Inspiration4 crew unveiling the incredible view of Earth from space, as seen through a domed window in their Crew Dragon spacecraft.

The Inspiration4 crew says they hope the diversity of their astronauts helped inspire others and told NBC News that the spaceflight experience changed them forever.

The Inspiration4 crew was resting and recovering Sunday after returning from their historic three-day space mission.

The first all-civilian crew to visit space received quite the welcome home gift shortly after successfully completing their three-day mission aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule. >> Read more trending newsSpaceX founder, CEO and chief engineer Elon Musk tweeted soon after the Inspiration4 crew splashed down in the Atlantic Ocean off the Florida coast that he is personally gifting $50 million toward the amateur flight crew’s $200 million fundraising goal to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. >> Related: Splashdown: Watch first all-civilian crew complete SpaceX mission, return to Earth“Count me in for $50m,” Musk wrote, in response to a tweet from the four-person crew that they were: “Happy. Home.” The crew had asked the public in their tweet for help reaching their $200 million fundraising target. Thank you @elonmusk for this generous donation toward our $200 million dollar fundraising goal for @StJude!!!

SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk has pledged to donate $50 million to benefit childhood cancer research by the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

After three days in space, SpaceX's first all-civilian crew returned to Earth tonight, splashing down off the Florida coast to end a historic mission.

SpaceX got them into a 363-mile (585-kilometer) orbit following Wednesday night’s launch from NASA's Kennedy Space Center. That's 100 miles (160 kilometers) higher than the International Space Station. (SpaceX via AP) (Uncredited)CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — (AP) — Four space tourists ended their trailblazing trip to orbit Saturday with a splashdown in the Atlantic off the Florida coast. SpaceX’s fully automated Dragon capsule reached an unusually high altitude of 363 miles (585 kilometers) after Wednesday night’s liftoff. Four SpaceX flights are already booked carry paying customers to the space station, accompanied by former NASA astronauts.

SpaceX is livestreaming the return of its Crew Dragon spacecraft from orbit on Saturday, carrying the four members of the Inspiration4 mission back to Earth.

Private Spaceflight This photo provided by SpaceX shows the passengers of Inspiration4 in the Dragon capsule on their first day in space. SpaceX got them into a 363-mile (585-kilometer) orbit following Wednesday night’s launch from NASA's Kennedy Space Center. (SpaceX via AP) (Uncredited)CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — (AP) — A SpaceX capsule carrying four space tourists aimed for a splashdown off the Florida coast Saturday evening. The first all-amateur flight to orbit Earth began three days ago with a launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. SpaceX envisions up to six private flights a year, sandwiched between astronaut launches for NASA to the International Space Station.

A trailblazing tourist trip to orbit has ended safely with a splashdown in the Atlantic.

The Inspiration4 crew plans a 7:06 p.m. EDT splashdown near Cape Canaveral to close out mission.

SpaceX's first all-civilian crew will return to Earth tonight with a splashdown off the Florida coast to end a mission like no other.

The crew of the historic Inspiration4 mission is expected to return to Earth on Saturday with splashdown planned to take place at 7:06 p.m.

From ultrasounds to ukelele jam sessions and space art, it appears the Inspiration4 crew is staying busy in orbit.

How's the Inspiration4 crew doing in space? Find out.

SpaceX is broadcasting a livestream from orbit on Friday, with the crew of the historic Inspiration4 mission giving an update

The all-civilian Inspiration4 crew fielded questions from St. Jude's patients and even chatted with Tom Cruise, SpaceX said.

That's 100 miles (160 kilometers) higher than the International Space Station. (SpaceX via AP) (Uncredited)CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — (AP) — Tom Cruise got a sneak preview of what it’s like to circle Earth in a SpaceX capsule. Last year, NASA confirmed it was in talks with Cruise about visiting the International Space Station for filming. That’s 100 miles (160 kilometers) higher than the International Space Station. Now a physician assistant at St. Jude, Arceneaux took up an old photo of herself — bald from treatment for bone cancer at age 10.

... and other happy and heartwarming stories and videos from the week.

That's 100 miles (160 kilometers) higher than the International Space Station. That's 100 miles (160 kilometers) higher than the International Space Station. Hayley Arceneaux, a childhood cancer survivor, chatted Thursday with patients at the hospital that saved her life almost 20 years ago: St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Now a physician assistant at St. Jude, Arceneaux took up an old photo of herself — bald from treatment for bone cancer at age 10. He's seeking to raise $200 million for St. Jude through the flight he's named Inspiration4, half of that coming from his own pocket.

Tom Cruise is getting a sneak preview of what it's like to circle Earth in a SpaceX capsule.

Inspiration4, which launched with Elon Musk's SpaceX on Wednesday evening, shared the first photos from day one in orbit.

The four private astronauts of SpaceX's Inspiration4 crew have shared their first snapshots from their historic first-ever all-civilian space trip and they look thrilled.

How's the Inspiration4 crew doing? Pretty good.

SpaceX founder Elon Musk says "all is well" with the first all-civilian non-government trip to orbit.

The big cupola window on Inspiration4's Crew Dragon capsule is going to get quite a workout over the next few days.

As the second stage engine of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket cut off, Hayley Arceneaux reached into a pouch strapped to her leg and pulled out a plush doll. She then let it go. The toy, attached to a tether, began to float above Arceneaux's head.

At 8:02 p.m. on Wednesday, the Inspiration4 mission made history by launching a team of amateur astronauts into orbit from Central Florida's Space Coast.

Isaacman has pledged $100 million to St. Jude and is seeking another $100 million in public donations. HAYLEY ARCENEAUX, ST. JUDE’S REPNow a physician assistant at St. Jude, Arceneaux was a bone cancer patient at the Memphis, Tennessee, hospital at age 10. To save her left leg, St. Jude replaced her knee and part of her thigh bone, implanting a titanium rod. She’ll chat with St. Jude patients from orbit, reminding them that their dreams, too, can come true. She’s taken along her late father’s St. Jude tie, a prized possession.

SpaceX's first all-civilian mission to orbit, Inspiration4, launched into space Wednesday night.

SpaceX made history tonight as it launched a crew of private citizens on a jaunt around Earth.

SpaceX just launched four private citizens into orbit for a three-day trip.

Follow live updates from Kennedy Space Center and along the Space Coast.

But this time, the Dragon capsule aimed for an altitude of 357 miles (575 kilometers), just beyond the Hubble Space Telescope. The only significant change is the large domed window at the top in place of the usual space station docking mechanisms. Isaacman, an accomplished pilot, persuaded SpaceX to take the Dragon capsule higher than it’s ever been. SpaceX’s next private trip, early next year, will see a retired NASA astronaut escorting three wealthy businessmen to the space station for a weeklong visit. The Russians are launching an actress, film director and a Japanese tycoon to the space station in the next few months.

The first-ever launch into Earth's orbit with only civilians aboard is expected to take off Wednesday morning. Follow our live coverage of the Inspiration4 flight.

.SpaceX’s first private flight has streaked into orbit with two contest winners, a health care worker and their rich sponsor. It was the first time a spacecraft circled Earth with an all-amateur crew and no professional astronauts. SpaceX’s recycled rocket soared Wednesday night from the same Kennedy Space Center pad used by the company’s three previous astronaut flights for NASA. But this time, the Dragon capsule aimed for an unusually high orbit, 100 miles higher than the International...

SpaceX's private Inspiration4 mission is cleared for launch and the flight's four crewmembers are excited to blast off today (Sept. 15) to embark on a three-day journey around Earth.

SpaceX is set to make history once again, as Elon Musk's space company prepares to launch four everyday people to orbit.

SpaceX's Inspiration4 crew trained for five months ahead of their launch. They're prepared for a range of worst-case scenarios.

The crew of the first-ever all-civilian orbital spaceflight will conduct medical experiments during the flight that will help researchers better understand spaceflight's effects on the human body.

SpaceX mission FILE PHOTO: A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with a Dragon 2 spacecraft lifts off on pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center. He won a sweepstakes that raised $100 million for St. Jude, beating 72,000 other people for a seat. She is the first Black female pilot to fly a space mission, she told “Today.” She is a geoscientist and licensed pilot, Reuters reported. She will be the youngest American to go to space at the age of 29 and the first person with a prosthetic on a space mission after she lost her leg to cancer. It is also the fourth crewed SpaceX mission.

Each member of the four-person crew has a unique call sign, a type of nickname that astronauts and military pilots are given during their training.

Hayley Arceneaux is soon to become the first person with a prosthetic body part to enter space. She will be the youngest American to orbit Earth. And she may be the first-ever astronaut to have shopped on Etsy to find some of her personal space gear.

Inspiration4 launch prep Preparations are underway for the historic Inspiration 4 launch from Florida's Space Coast. (SpaceX/SpaceX)CAPE CANAVERAL, FLA. — SpaceX’s first all-civilian mission is scheduled to liftoff from launch complex 39-A at Kennedy Space Center on Wednesday evening. The Inspiration 4 mission will be commanded by pilot and billionaire tech entrepreneur Jared Isaacman, founder and CEO of Shift4 Payments. Isaacman said he’s using the Inspiration 4 mission to raise awareness and money for St. Jude Research Hospital. READ: All suited up: Inspiration4 crew completes full dry dress rehearsal ahead of historic launchThe launch window is set to open at 8:02 p.m. Wednesday.

This is the moment private companies like SpaceX have been working toward for nearly two decades.

The crew can't wait to snack on cold pizza and look through the Dragon cupola

Are you counting down to SpaceX's Inspiration4 launch? Join celebrity guests and the mission's four soon-to-be astronauts for a livestream, hosted by Netflix.

SpaceX's Inspiration4 mission is ready to launch to Earth orbit on Wednesday (Sept. 15), and you can watch the historic liftoff live.

Inspiration4's first all-civilian mission to space aboard a SpaceX rocket will include St. Jude Children's Research Hospital physician assistant and cancer survivor Hayley Arceneaux. The 29-year-old represents the hope pillar of the mission and will be the youngest American to travel to space. As she prepares for this historic journey, Arceneaux writes a note to her younger self for our Emmy-nominated series, Note to Self.

This week, a crew of four spaceflyers will launch as part of the first all-civilian mission to orbit Earth. But this isn't the only major "first" for Inspiration4.

The eclectic crew will become the first non-professional astronauts to orbit the planet.

The Inspiration4 mission is raising money for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital with three days in orbit aboard a SpaceX capsule.

SpaceX’s first space tourists are launching into orbit this week, and they seem almost normal.

The four crewmembers of SpaceX's all-civilian private mission Inspiration4 will launch on Sept. 15. Here's a look at who they are.

With launch just days away, here are 10 things you need to know about the crewed SpaceX flight called Inspiration4.

Here's everything you need to know about the private Inspiration4 mission on SpaceX's Crew Dragon.

Do you want to send your name to space?

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A billionaire’s private SpaceX flight filled its two remaining seats Tuesday with a scientist-teacher and a data engineer whose college friend actually won a spot but gave him the prize. Their SpaceX Dragon capsule — currently parked at the International Space Station for NASA — will launch no earlier than mid-September, aiming for an altitude of 335 miles (540 kilometers). That’s 75 miles (120 kilometers) higher than the International Space Station and on a level with the Hubble Space Telescope. AdThe capsule will be outfitted with a domed window in place of the usual space station docking mechanism for their trip. The St. Jude physician assistant was treated there as a child for bone cancer.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. – The stakes are high, about 200 miles high, for fundraisers, YouTubers and creative space enthusiasts vying to be on board the first private trip to orbit Earth in a SpaceX Crew Dragon. The Inspiration 4 contest established by Jared Isaacman, the CEO of Shift4 Payment, will send four private citizens to low-Earth orbit later this year in the spacecraft. Interested space travelers could enter the competition by either donating to St. Jude or using Shift4Shop to share their business stories on social media. Brevard County launch photographer John Kraus, 21, threw his hat in the ring raising nearly $10,000 for St. Jude with his original photography. The four-person crew will launch from Kennedy Space Center’s launchpad 39A.

(Mike Brown/American Lebanese Syrian Associated Charities, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital via AP)CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – After beating bone cancer, Hayley Arceneaux figures rocketing into orbit on SpaceX’s first private flight should be a piece of cosmic cake. When she was 10, she had surgery at St. Jude to replace her knee and get a titanium rod in her left thigh bone. Isaacman announced his space mission Feb. 1, pledging to raise $200 million for St. Jude, half of that his own contribution. As the flight’s self-appointed commander, he offered one of the four SpaceX Dragon capsule seats to St. Jude. One will be a sweepstakes winner; anyone donating to St. Jude this month is eligible.

When she was 10, she had surgery at St. Jude to replace her knee and get a titanium rod in her left thigh bone. Ad“My battle with cancer really prepared me for space travel,” Arceneaux said in an interview with The Associated Press. Isaacman announced his space mission Feb. 1, pledging to raise $200 million for St. Jude, half of that his own contribution. As the flight’s self-appointed commander, he offered one of the four SpaceX Dragon capsule seats to St. Jude. One will be a sweepstakes winner; anyone donating to St. Jude this month is eligible.