148: Inspiration from Erin and Chris Sembroski

Casual Space

Erin Sembroski didn’t know her husband Chris had entered a contest to fly to space. Then he won the Generosity seat on the Inspiration4 on a SpaceX, rocket and had to tell her the news. On this episode of the Casual Space Podcast, Erin shares her experience -from learning that Chris’ would be going to space as part of the first all-civilian crew- to how she worked to navigate the intensity of the obligations and emotions as an astronaut’s spouse.

This is Erin’s story, told along side her husband Chris, to Beth and Chad. Their adventure together will warm your heart, and it’s one that’s only just begun.

Inspiration4 was a human spaceflight mission in 2021, operated by SpaceX on behalf of Shift4 Payments CEO Jared Isaacman.[3] The mission launched the Crew Dragon Resilience on 16 September 2021 from the Florida Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39A atop a Falcon 9 launch vehicle, placed the Dragon capsule into low Earth orbit,[4] and ended successfully on September 18 when the Resilience splashed down in the Atlantic Ocean.

About Erin Sembroski

Erin was born and raised in Montana. She grew up with a love for all things outdoors: hiking, camping, floating the river with her brother and sister…She attended Montana State University graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education. Erin's first teaching position was in Great Falls, MT, where she met Chris while he was stationed at Malmstrom Air Force Base. After three years, they decided to move to the Pacific Northwest (PNW) for the water, outdoors, and Seattle life. Erin went on to attend University of Washington and graduated with a Masters in Teaching. She has taught north of Seattle for over 8 years now, and loves her smart, sarcastic, and big-hearted middle schoolers.

Her proudest accomplishment is being Mom to two brave, strong, and brilliant girls and best Beagle buddy, Franklin. Erin and Chris have been married for 12 years, and she couldn’t be any prouder than to see him live his dream of flying in space.

About Chris Sembroski, Inspiration4 astronaut

Chris Sembroski grew up with a natural curiosity about outer space. Stargazing late at night on the roof of his high school and launching high-powered model rockets in college cemented this passion. As a U.S. Space Camp counselor, he conducted simulated space shuttle missions and supported STEM-based education designed to inspire young minds to explore these areas and find their passions. As a college student, Sembroski volunteered with ProSpace, a grassroots lobbying effort that promoted legislation in Washington, D.C., to help open space travel and allow companies like SpaceX to exist. He then served in the U.S. Air Force, maintaining a fleet of Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles and deploying for service in Iraq before leaving active duty in 2007. Following his education from the Air Force, Sembroski earned a B.S. in Professional Aeronautics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. In his career, Sembroski has sought innovative, industry-disrupting methods to monitor and maintain mechanical equipment, making everything from data centers to hospitals more efficient. He now resides in Seattle, WA, and works in the aerospace industry. Chris held the Generosity seat on the Inspiration4 launch on September 16, 2021.

About Inspiration4 https://inspiration4.com/

Inspiration4 is the world’s first all-civilian mission to orbit. The mission is commanded by Jared Isaacman, the 38-year-old founder and Chief Executive Officer of Shift4 Payments and an accomplished pilot and adventurer. Inspiration4 launched from Earth from Kennedy Space Center’s historic Launch Complex 39A, the embarkation point for Apollo and Space Shuttle missions, and traveled across a low earth orbit on a 3-day journey in space. Named in recognition of the four-person crew, the mission raised more than 210 million in funds for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, a milestone that represents a new era for human spaceflight and exploration.