Historic SpaceX Dragon Mission Astronauts Reaches Orbit After Lifts-off From NASA’s Kennedy Space Center

The United States’ first manned mission to space since 2011 has lifted-off from Kennedy Space Center.

Astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken have become the first human passengers on a commercial spacecraft as they piloted the SpaceX Dragon space craft launch from Cape Canaveral in Florida.

The two men piloted the Crew Dragon capsule to the International Space Station from the Kennedy Space Center, with guests including President Trump watching the historic lift-off.

SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft separated from the Falcon 9 rocket and officially reached orbit, as NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley head to the International Space Station. They should arrive at the space station on Sunday at about 10:30 a.m. ET.
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Their capsule, which sits atop a Falcon 9 rocket powered by nine huge engines, finally took to the air three days after its intended launch date was scrapped because of bad weather. The nine minute ride is seen as the ultimate test of SpaceX’s capabilities as a private space company.

Founded and run by billionaire Elon Musk, SpaceX has signed a deal with Nasa to carry astronauts and equipment up to the space station.

The US national space agency hasn’t launched astronauts on its own craft since the end of the space shuttle program in 2011.


Nasa had been relying on Russian rockets to carry astronauts, but hopes it can now pay SpaceX to provide a taxi service up to the orbiting space laboratory.

Saturday’s mission, known as Demo-2, has had a number of setbacks but if it proves successful this week Nasa will certify Crew Dragon for regular flights to and from the ISS. It could pave the way for several more astronaut launches in the future.

Photo Credit: Getty

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