London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Jul 02, 2025

"Best Ride Of My Life": Pilot After World's 1st All-Civilian Space Trip

"Best Ride Of My Life": Pilot After World's 1st All-Civilian Space Trip

The SpaceX capsule, carrying Sian Proctor and three others, on Sunday successfully concluded the historic orbital mission with no professional astronauts on board.

Sian Proctor, the pilot of the world's first all-civilian space mission, just had the "best ride" of her life as she touched down following a three-day trip to Earth's orbit on board a SpaceX capsule.

The SpaceX capsule on Sunday successfully concluded the historic orbital mission with no professional astronauts on board. Proctor, 51, was the mission pilot alongside mission commander Jared Isaacman, a billionaire who financed the trip for the crew.

“Best ride of my life! Thank you @SpaceX and @elonmusk! @inspiration4x,” she tweeted after her touchdown, tagging SpaceX founder Elon Musk.


“Nothing but #gratitude!! Thank you to everyone who helped make our mission a success and supported us through this historic journey,” she said retweeting an Inspiration4 video showing the four crewmembers inside the capsule.


In another tweet carrying a photo of her leaving the capsule, she said, “We did it!!”

On her website, Proctor says she was selected the pilot of the space mission in 2021.

"Before becoming an astronaut, I was an analog astronaut. Analog astronauts engage in a wide range of research such as human physiology, psychology, crew cohesion, exercise, and nutritional studies along with testing cutting-edge science, technology, & engineering applications," she says.

The Inspiration4 mission of sending first all-civilian crew to orbit also included Isaacman who had funded the trip aiming to make space a bit more accessible. The two other crew members were Hayley Arceneaux, a 29-year-old nurse, and Chris Sembroski, 42, a US Air Force veteran.


The SpaceX capsule splashed into the Atlantic Ocean at 2306 GMT, according to a video feed by the company, after it was slowed down by four large parachutes, reported news agency AFP. The capsule remained in the orbit for three days, circling the globe over 15 times each day, after its launch at 0002 GMT on Thursday.

"That was a heck of a ride for us, and we're just getting started," said Isaacman shortly after landing.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
King Charles Plans Significant Role for Prince Harry in Coronation
Two Chinese Nationals Arrested for Espionage Activities Against U.S. Navy
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
Trump Administration Considers Withdrawal of Funding for Hospitals Providing Gender Treatment to Minors
Texas Enacts Law Allowing Gold and Silver Transactions
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
OpenAI Secures Multimillion-Dollar AI Contracts with Pentagon, India, and Grab
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Elon Musk Critiques Senate Budget Proposal Over Job Losses and Strategic Risks
Los Angeles Riots ended with Federal Investigations into Funding
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Education Secretary Announces Overhaul of Complaints System Amid Rising Parental Grievances
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Trump Ends Trade Talks with Canada Over Digital Services Tax
UK Government Softens Welfare Reform Plans Amid Labour Party Rebellion
Labour Faces Rebellion Over Disability Benefit Reforms Ahead of Key Vote
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Host Lavish Wedding in Venice Amid Protests
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
North Korea to Open New Beach Resort to Boost Tourism Economy
UK Labour Party Faces Internal Tensions Over Welfare Reforms
Andrew Cuomo Hints at Potential November Comeback Amid Democratic Primary Results
Curtis Sliwa Champions His Vision for New York City Amid Rising Crime Concerns
Federal Reserve Proposes Changes to Capital Rule Affecting Major Banks
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Trump Escalates Criticism of Media Over Iran Strike Coverage
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
Big Four Accounting Firms Fined in Exam Cheating Scandal
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
Australia's Star Casino Secures $195 Million Rescue Package Amid Challenges
UK to Enhance Nuclear Capabilities with Acquisition of F-35A Fighter Jets
Russian Shadow Payments via Cryptocurrency Reach $9 Billion
Explosions Rock Doha as Iranian Missiles Target Qatar
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
×