In Pics: SpaceX's first all-civilian flight splashes back to Earth

Four SpaceX tourists returned to Earth safely on September 18 after spending three days in space, successfully concluding the first orbital mission in history with no professional astronauts on board. In this image taken from video, a SpaceX capsule carrying four people splashes down in the Atlantic off the Florida coast, Saturday, September 18, 2021. (Inspiration4 via AP)

The SpaceX Dragon capsule, whose heat shield allowed it to withstand descent, was slowed down by four large parachutes before splashing into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Florida at 7.06 pm (2306 GMT). (SpaceX via AP)

A SpaceX boat immediately retrieved the capsule before its hatch was opened and the space tourists, smiling broadly and waving their arms in the air, exited one by one. (SpaceX via AP)

The stated goal of the mission, called Inspiration4, was to encourage the democratisation of space by proving that the cosmos are accessible to crews that have neither been handpicked nor in training for years. "Congratulations @Inspiration4x !!!" SpaceX founder Elon Musk tweeted after the landing. In this image, passengers aboard a SpaceX capsule react as the capsule parachutes into the Atlantic Ocean off the Florida coast. (SpaceX via AP)

"That was a heck of a ride for us, and we're just getting started," billionaire captain Jared Isaacman, who financed the trip with a goal of making space a bit more accessible, said shortly after landing. Isaacman, who paid SpaceX tens of millions of dollars, offered the other three seats to strangers: Hayley Arceneaux, a 29-year-old nurse; Sian Proctor, a 51-year-old professor; and Chris Sembroski, 42, a US Air Force veteran. In this image, Hayley Arceneaux, one of four passengers aboard the SpaceX capsule, reacts after emerging from the capsule Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021, after it was recovered following its splashdown in the Atlantic off the Florida coast. (Inspiration4 via AP)

Unlike NASA astronauts, the members of the Inspiration4 mission did not go to the ISS but remained in orbit around Earth. In this image taken from video, Sian Proctor, one of four passengers aboard the SpaceX capsule, reacts after emerging from the capsule on September 18, 2021. (Inspiration4 via AP)

In this image taken from video, Chris Sembroski, one of four passengers aboard the SpaceX capsule, reacts after emerging from the capsule Saturday, September 18, 2021. (Inspiration4 via AP)

In this image taken from video, Jared Isaacman, one of four passengers aboard the SpaceX capsule, reacts after emerging from the capsule Saturday, September 18, 2021. (Inspiration4 via AP)

In this image released by Inspiration4, passengers aboard a SpaceX capsule (from left to right) Hayley Arceneaux, Jared Isaacman, Sian Proctor and Chris Sembroski pose after the capsule was recovered following its splashdown in the Atlantic off the Florida coast, September 18, 2021. (John Kraus/Inspiration4 via AP)