The SpaceX capsule returned from orbit, ending the first cruise

The Crew Dragon must then position the parachutes to slow its landing and spray safely at sea before the rescue ships return the four passengers to dry land.

Despite the risks, NASA’s former chairman and occupational safety officials say the Crew Dragon is the safest crew vehicle ever flown.

Although they were not the first tourists to orbit, their mission, called Inspiration 4, was significant because it did not rely on the International Space Station under the training of professional astronauts, as on previous missions involving astronauts. In contrast, four astronauts have flown freely over the past two days in their 13-foot-wide capsule at an altitude of about 350 miles — 100 miles above where the ISS is, more than any human. Decades.

Although the crew spent about six months training and getting to know each other, they did not have to undergo the rigorous NASA screening procedures or physical and psychological assessments that most professional astronauts do.

So far, however, there has been no sign of anything bad happening to the crew or their vehicle.

The Inspiration 4 Twitter account also shared footage of Arsenox talking to his St. Jude patients, Isaacman hit the final bell of the New York Stock Exchange with satellite feed on Friday afternoon.

Other than that, very few updates were shared with the public while the crew was in orbit. The first live audio or footage from within the group capsule was shared on Friday afternoon, two days after they were launched.

SpaceX has not responded to reporters’ inquiries, as has been the case with the company for more than a year.

During previous SpaceX Crew Dragon missions — all of which were flown to NASA and carried professional astronauts to the International Space Station — the public was more intelligent. The space agency and its dozens of communications personnel joined the space launch to share practically every moment of the astronauts’ journey to the International Space Station.

But this task has often plunged the public into darkness when it comes to the crew’s schedule and how they feel. In Around the circular path. Although the development of the Crew Dragon spacecraft is largely funded by taxpayers and SpaceX NASA facilities to support all of its missions, the Inspiration 4 is considered a private, commercial mission. There are certain transparency requirements for company and travelers. The public won’t even ask from tourists after they splash on Saturday evening.

But positive reviews of their experience may be important. SpaceX believes this mission is paramount in many of these, creating a new business for the company that uses Crew Dragon to fly on business trips with tourists or private researchers rather than professional astronauts.

SpaceX already has contracts for five other private missions, as well as at least four additional NASA-contract missions.