Hi, I'm Dan Pramak and welcome to Axios Recap.

Today is Monday, February 22nd.

Bond yields are up, Bitcoin is down after Elon Musk said the price might be too high, and we're

focused on the first ever all-civilian space flight.

Earlier today, it was announced that 29-year-old Haley Arsinoe has been picked as the second

crew member for Inspiration 4, which is set to be the first ever all-civillian spaceflight

when it blasts off in the fourth quarter of this year.

Four things to know.

First, Arsenault is a physician's assistant at St. Jude's and a childhood

cancer survivor. She'll occupy what's being termed the flight's hope seat. Two, there have been

space tourists before, mostly rich folks who have paid to ride Russian rockets to the International

Space Station. Inspiration four, though, will be the first orbital flight

that only contains civilians.

Three, her cabin mates will include Jared Isaacman,

a billionaire businessman who's both the brains

and money behind this flight,

which will be using SpaceX rockets and spacecraft.

One of the other passengers will be chosen via a Willy Wonka-esque raffle, while the last will be picked via a Shark Tank-style competition between customers of Isaacsman's company, Shift 4.

Four, and this is most important, the future viability of space tourism could be riding on this flight.

So we wanted to talk to Merriam Kramer, the author of Axios Space,

who has been in touch with Haley Arsenault

and her family about this flight.

...