SpaceX declares second crew member of its all-civilian space mission

Hayley Arceneaux, a physician assistant at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, will join the primary all-regular citizen excursion to space, SpaceX reported today. She will orbit Earth for as long as five days in the Crew Dragon capsule as part of the Inspiration4 mission. Team individuals are being selected dependent on “mission pillars of leadership, hope, generosity and prosperity,” as indicated by the press release for the mission. Arceneaux, SpaceX said, will represent trust.

Determined to have bone cancer at 10, she had some of the bones in her left leg supplanted with titanium as a feature of her treatment. She was treated at St. Jude, where she currently works with kids who are being treated for lymphoma and leukemia. With the upcoming mission, Arceneaux will become the first individual with a prosthetic body part to go to space.

The mission is scheduled for late 2021 and if all goes as planned, Arceneaux, at 29 years of age, could likewise be the most youthful American to go to space. The title of most youthful individual in space would in any case go to Gherman Titov, a cosmonaut who was 25 when he orbited Earth.

The selection process for crew individuals additionally includes a fundraising effort for St. Jude, with a sweepstakes where individuals can donate to St. Jude for opportunities to be the third member. The fourth crew member will be the victor of a challenge sponsored by the billionaire Jared Isaacman, who is funding and commanding the mission.