A lifelong aeronautics enthusiast’s elation turned to disappointment when he was forced to abandon his chance to take a three-day SpaceX flight due to his weight.
Kyle Hippchen, a commercial pilot from Florida, has come forward as the real winner of a spot on September’s all-civilian Inspiration 4 mission that he quietly gave to one of his best friends. He told the Associated Press that even watching the Netflix documentary about the mission is still too painful.
“It hurts too much,” he said. “I’m insanely disappointed. But it is what it is.”
Hippchen spent $600 on raffle entries for the chance to win a seat purchased by billionaire CEO Jared Isaacman, who purchased a seat on the mission from SpaceX’s Elon Musk. The raffle proceeds went to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
In March 2021, he started receiving emails asking for personal details, and he noticed the fine print: He exceeded the maximum 250-pound weight limit by 80 pounds.
Disappointed but aware of the safety limits, Hippchen asked to withdraw but was informed that, out of 72,000 entries, he had actually won.
“I was trying to figure how I could drop 80 pounds in six months, which, I mean, it’s possible, but it’s not the most healthy thing in the world to do,” he continued.
He then decided to give the experience to his college roommate, Chris Sembroski, who said he was “forever grateful” for the opportunity.
Sembroski, a data engineer from Washington state, had also entered the raffle. Hippchen knew from their time together at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University that Sembroski’s love of space matched his own and that he was the most enthusiastic replacement he could think of.
“Kyle’s willingness to gift his seat to Chris was an incredible act of generosity,” Isaacman said.
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Sembroski took mementos sentimental to Hippchen into orbit, including his school rings and his great-uncle’s Purple Heart, which he received for injuries sustained in World War I. Hippchen was able to watch the launch at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida from a VIP balcony and participate in a 10-minute zero-gravity flight with friends and family of the crew. He said probably fewer than 50 people knew he was the true winner.
“It was their show, and I didn’t want to be distracting too much from what they were doing,” Hippchen said.
