How did three non-astronauts get to go to space?

Who they are and how they got there.

Sep 22, 2021

Before we start, take a look at the launch and return of the SpaceX Dragon capsule last week. It took four people, none of whom were trained astronauts, into space and back safely. This is the latest time SpaceX has made history in its pursuit to return humanity to the stars. Similar to other high-profile manned launches this past summer, this trip was also funded by a billionaire. It does, however, still stand out. It was longer, higher, and for a better cause. Today we’ll talk about the history behind this trip, the inspirational four crew members that got to experience it, and the training they had to go through to be able to get there.

This trip was funded by Jared Isaacman (right), an ex-Air Force pilot turn billionaire businessman. He made his fortune after retiring from the military and starting a very successful payment processing company. [1] While his day-to-day is likely very exciting, he stepped away to do what every other billionaire seems to be doing these days: taking a trip to space. Sadly for Isaacman, he doesn’t have his very own rocket company like Jeff Bezos and Richard Branson. He had to go through the most well-known space company in the world—SpaceX. The goal of his mission, however, was slightly different than the ones we’ve seen in the past. He aimed to use this launch to raise over $200 million for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

It only seemed right for the first of three additional spots to be someone from the hospital that the trip was supporting. That person was Hayley Arceneaux (bottom). Arceneaux is a Physician Assistant at St. Jude Hospital in Memphis, TN. She was diagnosed with bone cancer when she was ten years old but, after 12 rounds of chemotherapy, she overcame her illness. Years later, she would go on to get a degree as a physician assistant and return to the same hospital that treated her. And, just a couple of years after that, she got to go to space. Isaacman asked the hospital who he should bring, the staff suggested her, and the rest was history.

The last two spots were less premeditated. One was completely random and the other was a contest. Chris Sembroski (top) was lucky enough to win a trip through a donation raffle for the hospital. With experience as a NASA Space Camp counselor, a degree in aeronautics, and a job as an aerospace engineer at Boeing, Sembroski was a natural addition to the team.

Last but not least comes Sian Proctor (left). She managed to secure her spot by winning a contest demonstrating her passion for space via social media. Proctor actually managed to be a finalist in NASA astronaut training in 2009 but ended up not making the cut, this was her second chance.

Now that we know a bit more about our contestants, let’s learn a bit more about the game show. Their training took three different approaches: teambuilding, mental, and physical. Teambuilding exercises included personality profiles, constant time spent together, and even a team camping trip on Mt. Rainier. While they only spent a few days in space, teamwork and collaboration are key to a successful trip.

To prepare mentally they underwent a whole bunch of very different training. Isaacman admitted that, for a couple of weeks, it felt like “death by PowerPoint”. [2] The good news is they had time on their side. It wasn’t entirely like a sci-fi movie, where the crew has but days to soak up the necessary information needed to fly a rocket ship. This crew has been training for months and, as we discussed before, almost all of them had relevant experience.

Physically they had to prepare themselves for a multitude of different environments. Even three days in zero g’s can cause muscle atrophy if not prepared properly. They were subject to 30 hours together in a simulator, high g environments that they would experience during takeoff and descent, as well zero g’s on NASA’s low gravity simulation aircraft. All of these experiences enabled them to be prepared enough to go to space.

But what does a “trained/professional astronaut” actually mean? Technically, anyone that goes to space is considered an astronaut, but the distinction with these folks is “professional”. There’s a multitude of tests, training, and hurdles you must jump through to become a professional astronaut and because this crew didn’t do the full process, they aren’t professional astronauts.

Is this safe? If they don’t have the full training, why were they allowed to go? The answer to this question lies in the extent of their mission and technology onboard. The Dragon Spacecraft that they were on is entirely autonomous. In fact, all of its maiden voyages to space were unmanned. As a result, if they really wanted to, the crew could have just sat there and done nothing the whole time. In reality, there was some manual input they needed to provide but it mostly came in the form of checking on flight systems and ensuring that the readings SpaceX was seeing on the ground were the same onboard. Additionally, professional astronauts usually go to space to accomplish a mission. These missions can be to live and work on the ISS, fix a satellite, and much more. Most of them are more than just the flight. As a result, there is a swath of other training associated with completing their mission. Regardless, I think we can all agree that getting to space and back safely is no small feat, and this crew of civilians showed that you don’t actually have to be an astronaut, to be an astronaut. Not to mention they hit their fundraising goal of $200 million before they landed.

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