Inspiration4 Spacecraft Widely Visible Across U.S. Skies Tonight
The SpaceX Inspiration4 crew during a launch day rehearsal, From left: Chris Sembroski, Dr. Sian Proctor, Jared Isaacman, and Hayley Arceneaux. Space X, CC0 By now you will have heard of the Inspiration4 orbiting spacecraft that's ferrying a crew of four civilians around the planet every 96 minutes. Although they all trained for six months for the flight, the ship is run by computer. The primary goal of the mission is to raise money for St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital. Wednesday night's launch went flawlessly, with the spacecraft currently orbiting the Earth at an altitude of about 360 miles (580 km) and inclination of 51.6°. That steep tilt, identical to the space station's inclination, means that the craft is widely visible from many locations on the ground. The only down side is that it splashes down in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Florida sometime on Saturday or Sunday, September 18-19. That leaves just one or two nights to see it. I had hoped t