SpaceX recently teased the newest addition to the Crew Dragon spacecraft, which is set to carry the first all-civilian astronauts in September, this year.
On a tweet posted on Tuesday, Mar. 30, SpaceX had shown an image of a Crew Dragon spacecraft fitted with a glass dome at the tip of the capsule, providing astronauts aboard a panoramic view of the space.
Probably most “in space” you could possibly feel by being in a glass dome https://t.co/SOAIzxVGgX
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 30, 2021
SpaceX Crew Dragon's Glass Dome
Digital Trends on Tuesday, Mar.30, said that the glass dome would be placed beneath a protective section of the capsule, where a hatch is usually placed, and will lift away once the spacecraft reaches orbit.
Fitting the Crew Dragon with a glass dome, where a hatch is usually placed, is possible since this particular spacecraft will not be docking the International Space Station (ISS).
This is not the first time an observatory module was attached to a spacecraft.
In 2010, the ISS's Cupola was given a seven-window observatory module that gave astronauts an excellent vantage point to capture photos of our planet from space. The module also allowed ISS astronauts to capture breathtaking images of our planet and send them back on Earth for us to enjoy.
The addition to the Crew Dragon's design makes perfect sense, as it will carry the all-civilian crew and will orbit the planet for about 72 hours.
SpaceX's Inspiration4: Meet the Team of 'The World's First All-Civilian Mission to Space'
On Feb. 1, Spacenews reported that an entrepreneur bought a SpaceX Crew Dragon mission for an undisclosed amount as part of a commercial and charity project.
The buyer, Jared Isaacman, is the 37-year-old founder and CEO of online payment processing company Shift4 Payments, who will lead the all-civilian spaceflight.
Isaacman worked with the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and had launched a series of contests to select the final two members who will accompany him in space.
The second member to join Isaacman is Hayley Arceneaux-a physician assistant at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. She will fill the mission's "Hope" seat and serve as the hospital's ambassador. The 29-year-old bone cancer survivor is also set to become the youngest American to fly in space.
CollectSpace named the winners of the contest on Tuesday, Mar. 30, which includes a former Space Camp counselor and a geoscientist.
Chris Sembroski, a data engineer for Lockheed Martin, was named after a friend passed the winning ticket onto him for the "Generosity" seat on the Inspiration4 mission.
He is a long-time astronomy and space exploration enthusiast who previously worked as a Space Camp counselor who led students through simulated space missions.
Sian Proctor, a geoscientist and science communication specialist who had participated in four NASA-funded analog space missions, completes the team as she fills the mission's "Prosperity" seat.
She was chosen as the winner of the Shift4Shop competition, wherein contestants were asked to set up an e-commerce site using Isaacman's Shift4 and record a video sharing their "inspirational entrepreneurial story."
Related Article : International Space Station Location: Here's Where ISS will be in the Coming Weeks! How and When to See!
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Written by Lee Mercado
