THE ANGELS–(BUSINESS WIREPlans for the world’s first fully civilian mission to space were announced today from SpaceX’s headquarters in Hawthorne, CA. Scheduled for the fourth quarter of this year, the mission will be led by Jared Isaacman, the 37-year-old founder and CEO of Shift4 Payments (NYSE: FOUR) and an experienced pilot. Named Inspiration4 in recognition of the crew’s four-man mission to support St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital® and send a humanitarian message of opportunity, the journey represents a new era for human spaceflight and exploration. Isaacman is donating the three mission seats next to him to crew members who will be selected to represent the mission pillars of leadership, hope, generosity and prosperity.
Isaacman said, “Inspiration4 is the realization of a lifelong dream and a step towards a future where everyone can venture and explore the stars. I appreciate the tremendous responsibility that comes with leading this mission, and I want to use this historic moment to inspire humanity while helping to tackle childhood cancer here on Earth. ”
Isaacman and the Inspiration4 crew will receive commercial astronaut training through SpaceX on the Falcon 9 launcher and Dragon spacecraft, including a specific focus on orbital mechanics, operating in microgravity, zero gravity and other forms of stress testing. They receive training for emergencies, exercises for boarding and disembarking space suits and spacecraft, and simulations of partial and full missions. Launched from historic launch complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the mission will be carefully monitored every step of the way by SpaceX mission control as the spacecraft orbits the planet every 90 minutes along a modified flight path. At the end of the multi-day journey, Dragon will re-enter Earth’s atmosphere for a soft-water landing off the coast of Florida.
Isaacman has given St. Jude two seats in the Inspiration4 mission. The first seat is reserved for a St. Jude Ambassador with direct links to the Mission that exemplifies the Pillar of Hope and the courageous vision on which St. Jude is founded: compassion, unity, equality and inclusion. The second seat represents Generosity’s mission pillar. Throughout the month of February, members of the public can join for an opportunity to participate in the flight to space and support St. Jude’s lifesaving mission.
Isaacman has committed to donating $ 100 million to St. Jude and invites everyone to join him in trying to raise more than $ 200 million or more to support St. Jude’s multi-billion dollar expansion aimed at accelerating the progress of the investigation and saving more children worldwide. He will also provide additional support to the St. Jude fundraiser in the form of other awards, including military jet flights and flight equipment. Isaacman, an experienced pilot who can fly commercial and military aircraft, holds several world records, including a Speed-Around-The-World flight to raise money and publicize the Make-a-Wish Foundation. He has flown more than 100 air shows as part of the Black Diamond Jet Team, dedicating each performance to charity. In 2011, Isaacman co-founded what would become the world’s largest private air force, Draken International, to train pilots for the United States armed forces.
“In the same year, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital broke its boundaries by opening its doors, the first American orbiting the Earth in 1962,” said Richard C. Shadyac Jr., president and CEO of ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization. for St. Jude. “From the outset, St. Jude has been at the forefront of innovation and inclusion, leading the way in cancer research, care and treatment for some of the world’s sickest children, regardless of race, ethnicity, beliefs or family assets. to pay. This partnership brings together two missions to create an incredible moment in time that will impact the global effort to cure childhood cancer for years to come. ”
Isaacman will partner with Shift4 Payments to provide the fourth and final crew seat representing the pillar of the prosperity mission to a creditable entrepreneur leveraging the new Shift4Shop ecommerce platform, enabling entrepreneurs to build successful ecommerce businesses online and let it grow. Current and new Shift4Shop customers will have a unique opportunity to participate in an online competition to showcase them and their company. The competition will be held from February 1 to 28, 2021 and the winner will be selected by a panel of independent judges.
Shift4 Payments will provide marketing support for the Mission and will use one of the biggest popular cultural events of the year, Super Bowl LV, this Sunday to dramatically introduce the Mission and purpose to the public. A 30-second spot will air during the first quarter of the Big Game and invite all viewers to support and be a part of this historic journey through the St. Jude and Shift4Shop programs.
Isaacman concluded, “Today’s announcement is the first step of a very exciting journey. Leading up to the launch, we will be sharing new ways to support and track our preparation and execution of our mission, with a focus on inspiring and helping others. ”
To learn more about Inspiration4, how you can support and potentially participate in this historic journey to space, and the specific terms of the promotions, visit www.Inspiration4.com and follow the mission on social media on Twitter (@inspiration 4x), Facebook (@ inspiration4mission), Instagram (@ inspiration4), and YouTube (@ Inspiration4) to get the latest mission training and preparation news. Individuals who wish to learn how to enter a chance to win one of the two places on offer should visit inspiration4.com and check the official rules for the applicable promotion.
About St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital leads the way the world understands, treats and fights childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. The goal is clear: find cures. Saving Children.® It is the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center dedicated exclusively to children. Treatments invented in St. Jude have helped the overall childhood cancer survival rate to rise from 20 percent to more than 80 percent since the hospital opened more than 50 years ago. St. Jude will not stop until no child dies of cancer. St. Jude freely shares the discoveries it makes, and every child rescued in St. Jude means doctors and scientists around the world can use that knowledge to save thousands more children. Families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing, or food – because the whole family has to worry about helping their child in life. Join the St. Jude Mission by visiting stjude.org, Like St. Jude on Facebook, Follow St. Jude Twitter, Instagram and subscribe to his YouTube channel.
About Shift4 Payments
Shift4 Payments (NYSE: FOUR) is a leading provider of integrated payment processing and technology solutions, delivering a complete omnichannel ecosystem that goes beyond payments and includes a wide variety of commercial services. The company’s technologies help more than 350 software vendors in a variety of industries, including hospitality, retail, hospitality, e-commerce, lodging, gaming, and more. The recently launched Shift4Shop platform offers a turnkey e-commerce experience, including a robust website builder, product and order management, customer marketing tools and more. With more than 7,000 sales partners, the company securely processed more than $ 200 billion in payment volume for more than 200,000 businesses in 2019. For more information, visit shift4.com.