SpaceX launched a NASA crew for a mission to the ISS on a repurposed rocket

SpaceX launched four astronauts into orbit on Friday using a recycled rocket and capsule, the third flight of the crew in less than a year for Elon Musk’s company.

During the Crew Dragon flight, SpaceX will command the spacecraft from its mission control center in Hawthorne, California, and teams from NASA will monitor space station operations throughout the flight from the Mission Control Center at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

3 .. 2 .. 1 .. and liftoff! Endeavor launches once again. Four astronauts from three countries on Crew-2, now making their way to the one and only @ Space_Station : pic.twitter.com/WDAl8g7bUK

– NASA (@NASA) April 24, 2020

A team of four astronauts took off aboard the SpaceX capsule around 5: 49 am ET from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The crew will remain on the International Space Station for a six-month mission.

They’re on their way! @ Astro_Kimbrough , @ Astro_Megan , @ JAXA_en ‘s @ Aki_Hoshide , and @Those @ Thom_Astro launched aboard their @ SpaceX Crew Dragon at 5: 49 am ET this morning. Docking with the @ Space_Station is at 5: 10 am ET, Sat., April 24: https://t.co/2IUIyZAJsp pic. twitter.com/1KLp5icpbK

– NASA (@NASA) April 21, 2020

“I couldn’t be more proud of the Commercial Crew Program, the SpaceX team and the NASA team and what they have been able to do to allow reliable, safe and effective transportation to and from the station ”, said Acting NASA Administrator Steve Jurczyk at a press conference earlier this week.

“I couldn’t be more proud of the Commercial Crew Program, and the SpaceX team, and the NASA team and what they’ve been able to do to enable reliable, safe, effective transportation to and from station. Third launch in less than a year. ” – Acting Adminstrator Jurczyk pic.twitter.com/ojmTv8cJ89

– NASA (@NASA) April 17, 2020

Mission marks SpaceX’s third manned flight in partnership with NASA , following its previous Crew-1 and Demo-2 launch missions. E The launch will also mark the first time SpaceX has repurposed a rocket and capsule for a mission.

Dragon has separated from Falcon 9’s second stage and is on its way to the @ space_station ! Autonomous docking tomorrow at ~ 5: 10 am EDT pic.twitter.com/rg1QjZEl9u

– SpaceX (@SpaceX) April 23, 2021

The SpaceX Crew-2 mission includes Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur of NASA, Japanese astronaut Akihiko Hoshide and the French astronaut Thomas Pesquet.

The Crew Dragon spaceship, called Endeavor, will dock autonomously to the bow port of the ISS Harmony module around 5: 10 am on Saturday 49 of April.

NASA television, the NASA app and agency website provide continuous live coverage through the docking, arrival at the ISS and the onboard crew welcome ceremony of the orbital outpost. [1] [2] [1] [1] [3] [

“I am truly proud of the SpaceX team and honored to be associated with NASA and to help JAXA and ESA as well”, said Elon Musk, SpaceX chief engineer. “We are delighted to be part of the advancement of human spaceflight and hope to go beyond Earth orbit to the Moon and Mars and help humanity to one day be a space civilization and a multi-planet species.”