Get All Access for $5/mo

Musk Pledges $50 Million to Children's Charity Inspiration4, the first-ever tourism mission into space, launched Wednesday morning.

By Entrepreneur Staff Edited by Emily Rella

picture alliance | Getty Images

Elon Musk pledged on Saturday to donate $50 million to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, helping exceed the $200 million fundraising goal of last week's Inspiration4 space mission.

"Count me in for $50M," the SpaceX founder tweeted after the account for Inspiration4 tweeted that the all-civilian crew was back on Earth and still soliciting donations to hit the $200 million mark.

Inspiration4, the first-ever tourism mission into space, launched Wednesday morning. Four people were onboard the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, which departed from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The crew came back down off the coast of Florida.

Related: NASA Awards SpaceX, Blue Origin, and 3 Other Companies $146 Million In Contracts to Make Moon Lander Designs

According to a release from SpaceX, the spaceflight mission launched at 8:02 p.m ET Wednesday. A second release confirmed the splashdown occurred at 7:06 p.m. ET Saturday. The crew spent six months training for the mission, which is expected to last about three days.

The crew set a number of records for spaceflight, including featuring the first Black female spacecraft pilot, the youngest American in space and the first person to fly to space with a prosthetic. It was the farthest flight for a human spaceflight since the Hubble missions and the first time SpaceX has operated three Dragons in space.

At the time of splashdown, the flight's fundraising stood at $154 million.

Entrepreneur Staff

Entrepreneur Staff

Editor

For more than 30 years, Entrepreneur has set the course for success for millions of entrepreneurs and small business owners. We'll teach you the secrets of the winners and give you exactly what you need to lay the groundwork for success.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Side Hustle

The Side Hustle He Started in His College Apartment Turned Into a $70,000-a-Month Income Stream — Then Earned Nearly $2 Million Last Year

Kyle Morrand and his college roommates loved playing retro video games — and the pastime would help launch his career.

Growing a Business

How to Determine The Ideal Length of Your Marketing Emails Your Customers Will Actually Read

Wondering how long your marketing emails should be? Here's what consumers say — so you can send them exactly what they like.

Business News

A Former Corporate Lawyer Now Makes Six Figures on YouTube — Here's How She Does It

Here are the secrets to starting and growing a successful YouTube channel, according to a YouTuber with millions of subscribers.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.

Business News

New Southwest Airlines Major Investor Wants to Force Out CEO, Slams Company's 'Stubborn Unwillingness to Evolve'

Elliot Investment Management announced a $1.9 billion stake in the Dallas-based Southwest Airlines on Monday and is urging shareholders to vote for new leadership.