Is Space X's latest launch, Inspiration 4, a leap forward in commercial space travel or a risk too far? Euronews talked to two experts to find out.
ADVERTISEMENTFour civilians are currently orbiting the skies about 150 kilometres above the International Space Station. They will stay up there for three days before splashing down into the Atlantic ocean.
Inspiration4, Space X's latest launch, is being touted as a step forward in commercial space travel. But Dr Francisco Diego, a senior research fellow in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at University College London, told Euronews a lot of things could go wrong.
"You have radiation, you have space debris," Dr Diego said. "You have a lot of things that are risky. And any malfunction has to be dealt with very trained people, which is not the case.
"Of course, there are a lot of procedures that have to be followed. SpaceX has a very good record so far but [this is] still is very risky."
Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield has a different view on the mission. He has spent plenty of time in space as both an astronaut and former commander of the ISS.
"It's a tremendous example of just how far the technology has come, or how simple a spaceship can be, and how reliable," Hadfield said.
"And it's opened the door now to a whole new suite of possibilities for human travel up to Earth's orbit. I think it's been very hard to get here and a lot of countries have worked really hard. I'm delighted to see those four people safely orbiting the world right now."
Watch Euronews's full report in the player above.