CALIFORNIA, iNews.id – SpaceX has showcased the main features of the Crew Dragon spaceship. The new design includes a glass dome that offers the crew a panoramic view of the Earth and beyond.
The first image of the dome appeared in an Inspiration4 tweet on September 1st. The photos show each crew peeking out of the dome before preflight integration with the spacecraft.
The Inspiration4 mission is expected to take place this month, although a specific date has not been announced. The three-day journey was the idea of Shift4 Payments boss Jared Isaacman, who secured the mission in a private deal with SpaceX, as quoted by Digital Trends.
Isaacman used the mission to help publicize the work of the Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. He has also encouraged people to donate to the organization as it seeks to reach its funding target of US$200 million.
The Inspiration4 mission will include three other crew members. Doctor assistant Hayley Arceneaux will be the first bone cancer survivor to travel into space and also the first person to orbit with prosthetic body parts.
Trained pilot Dr. Sian Proctor was also part of the mission, as was Christopher Sembroski, a US Air Force veteran and current Lockheed Martin employee.
On other Dragon capsules, a docking mechanism is required at the top in order to connect with the International Space Station. But because the Inspiration4 mission was an orbital adventure only, SpaceX engineers saw an opportunity to include the dome.
Editor: Dini Listiyani
