It turns out that the Inspiration4 mission, which launched SpaceX into the private spaceflight business, was just the opening act for tech entrepreneur, pilot and newly minted astronaut Jared Isaacman, who financed and commanded the flight. Isaacman, founder and CEO of the Shift4 Payments financial services company, has signed a contract with SpaceX for up to three more space-flights, the first of which is slated to launch as early as Nov. 1-a bit more than a year after the Sept. 15-18,2021, Inspiration4 mission. The new initiative, named the Polaris program, kicked off on Feb. 14 with the announcement of a four-member crew for the first flight-which Isaacman once again will command-and an outline of the mission objectives.
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