Elon Musk’s SpaceX has launched for takeoff. Over three months after the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft rocket returned from space after its historic takeoff in May, the spacecraft, which the astronauts onboard dubbed Resilience, launched on Sunday at 7:49 p.m. from Launch Pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida bound for the International Space Station (ISS).
According to NPR and CNBC, the launch was delayed twice: first to assess an engine issue with the Falcon 9 rocket and then again due to weather. The astronauts on board are Shannon Walker, Victor Glover, Mike Hopkins, and Soichi Noguchi.
The launch marks the second-ever crewed mission for SpaceX and the first operational flight as part of NASA’s commercial crew mission. According to the Associated Press, the crew has named their Dragon capsule Resilience due to the challenges 2020 has wrought.
The crew is go for launch pic.twitter.com/HqJGin0gg7
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) November 16, 2020
The astronauts will remain in orbit until the springtime, at which point their replacements will arrive onboard another SpaceX Dragon capsule. President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence saw the takeoff from the Kennedy Space Center at the time. The day after takeoff, SpaceX arrived at the International Space Station, where Behnken and Hurley were greeted with hugs from the other astronauts in space.
Hurley said that it was an honor to just be a small part of it and gave credit to SpaceX and NASA. He added that it was great to get the United States back in the crew launch business and they’re just really glad to be on board this magnificent complex.
Resilience rises. ?
The Crew-1 mission has lifted off on a Falcon 9 rocket from @NASAKennedy at 7:27pm ET and is en route to the @Space_Station. #LaunchAmerica pic.twitter.com/5Q3uXSLvqt
— NASA (@NASA) November 16, 2020
On Aug 2, SpaceX returned to Earth after splashing down in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Pensacola, Florida after departing its port in space at 9:20 a.m. that morning.
You can watch the Launch of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-1 Mission to the International Space Station below. Stay tuned in here for the latest news!
