A SpaceX spacecraft carrying two NASA astronauts soared into outer space Saturday — marking the first time humans have traveled into Earth's orbit from US soil in nearly a decade
Kennedy Space Center A SpaceX spacecraft carrying two NASA astronauts soared into outer space Saturday — marking the first time humans have traveled into Earth's orbit from US soil in nearly a decade. Liftoff occurred just after 3:20 pm ET from Florida's Kennedy Space Center.
Astronauts Robert Behnken, 49, and Douglas Hurley, 53, will spend about 19 hours aboard SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule as it slowly maneuvers its way toward the International Space Station.SpaceX and NASA gear up, again, for historic launchThe spacecraft is expected to dock with the space station around at 10:29 a.m. ET on Sunday, May 31.The United States hasn't launched its own astronauts into space since the Space Shuttle Program ended in 2011. Since then, NASA's astronauts have had to travel to Russia and train on the country's Soyuz spacecraft. Those seats have cost NASA as much as $86 million each.The launch also marked the first time in history that a commercial aerospace company has carried humans into Earth's orbit. Read MoreThe launch of SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft has moved forward despite the Covid-19 pandemic, which has shuttered both private and government operations across the US. NASA says it needed to carry on with the mission in order to keep the International Space Station, a giant orbiting laboratory, fully staffed with US astronauts. Photos: SpaceX's historic launchSpectators watch the SpaceX launch from a bridge in Titusville, Florida, on Saturday, May 30. The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the Crew Dragon capsule is carrying astronauts Douglas Hurley and Robert Behnken toward the International Space Station.Hide Caption 1 of 25 Photos: SpaceX's historic launchHuge crowds gathered to watch the launch from Titusvile, across from Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida.Hide Caption 2 of 25 Photos: SpaceX's historic launchThe spacecraft heads toward the International Space Station.Hide Caption 3 of 25 Photos: SpaceX's historic launchPresident Trump speaks during an event at Kennedy Space Center after the launch.Hide Caption 4 of 25 Photos: SpaceX's historic launchAn American flag flies as the SpaceX spacecraft lifts off.Hide Caption 5 of 25 Photos: SpaceX's historic launchSpaceX founder Elon Musk celebrates after Saturday's successful launch.Hide Caption 6 of 25 Photos: SpaceX's historic launchFrom left, second lady Karen Pence, Vice President Mike Pence and President Donald Trump watch the launch from Kennedy Space Center.Hide Caption 7 of 25 Photos: SpaceX's historic launchPeople watch the launch from a beach in Cape Canaveral.Hide Caption 8 of 25 Photos: SpaceX's historic launchMonitors are seen in the Launch Control Center at Kennedy Space Center on Saturday.Hide Caption 9 of 25 Photos: SpaceX's historic launchLiftoff occurred just after 3:20 pm ET.Hide Caption 10 of 25 Photos: SpaceX's historic launchHurley says goodbye to his wife and son before Saturday's launch.Hide Caption 11 of 25 Photos: SpaceX's historic launchTrump and Pence arrive at Kennedy Space Center.Hide Caption 12 of 25 Photos: SpaceX's historic launchHurley, left, and Behnken walk out of the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at Kennedy Space Center on Saturday.Hide Caption 13 of 25 Photos: SpaceX's historic launchThe scene moments before NASA scrubbed the SpaceX launch at Kennedy Space Center on Wednesday, May 27. It was postponed due to bad weather.Hide Caption 14 of 25 Photos: SpaceX's historic launchPresident Trump and first lady Melania Trump tour the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Facility at Kennedy Space Center on Wednesday.Hide Caption 15 of 25 Photos: SpaceX's historic launchTrump and the first lady exit Air Force One as they arrive at Kennedy Space Center.Hide Caption 16 of 25 Photos: SpaceX's historic launchHurley, left, and Behnken ride a Tesla SUV on their way to Launch Pad 39A before Wednesday's launch was canceled.Hide Caption 17 of 25 Photos: SpaceX's historic launchHurley, left, and Behnken say goodbye to family members ahead of the planned launch.Hide Caption 18 of 25 Photos: SpaceX's historic launchStorm clouds pass over NASA's Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center.Hide Caption 19 of 25 Photos: SpaceX's historic launchSpaceX founder Elon Musk wears a face mask while standing next to Vice President Mike Pence.Hide Caption 20 of 25 Photos: SpaceX's historic launchHurley and Behnken walk out of the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at Kennedy Space Center.Hide Caption 21 of 25 Photos: SpaceX's historic launchSpectators look out from a hotel balcony in Cocoa Beach, Florida, on Wednesday.Hide Caption 22 of 25 Photos: SpaceX's historic launchBehnken, right, and Hurley prepare to place mission stickers on the windshields of their Tesla vehicles.Hide Caption 23 of 25 Photos: SpaceX's historic launchThe SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, with the Crew Dragon spacecraft on top, sits on Launch Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center.Hide Caption 24 of 25 Photos: SpaceX's historic launchSpectators wait at a park in Titusville early Wednesday.Hide Caption 25 of 25NASA, SpaceX and military personnel gathered in control rooms to support the launch, and they implemented additional safety measures, such as changing control rooms when a new shift begins so that the other room can be deep cleaned.Prior to the launch, the space agency's top official, Jim Bridenstine, said he hoped it will inspire awe and uplift the general public during the ongoing health crisis.On the ground in Florida, local authorities were bracing for an influx of spectators who were expected to gather on nearby beaches, which were recently reopened after weeks of lockdown amid the battle against Covid-19. A few dozen journalists were permitted to cover the launch from the press area at Kennedy Space Center, but strict social distancing policies and guidelines around wearing masks were implemented. Bridenstine held most briefings by telephone, for instance, and in-person interviews were conducted one-by-one with news crews. Everything you need to know about SpaceX's historic astronaut launchThis launch also served as a sort of litmus test for NASA's push to partner more extensively with the private sector.SpaceX developed Crew Dragon under NASA's Commercial Crew Program, which, for the first time in the space agency's history, handed over much of the design, development and testing of new human-rated spacecraft to the private sector. NASA awarded SpaceX and Boeing a fixed-price contracts to get the job done, and after Boeing suffered a major setback during an uncrewed test flight last year,That decision wasn't without controversy, particularly in the Commercial Crew Program's early days. But Saturday's success could be seen as a huge win for folks at NASA who hope to rely more extensively on similar contracts to help accomplish the space agency's goals.Bridenstine, for example, hopes to rely heavily on private-sector partnerships to accomplish the space agency's ambitious goal of landing US astronauts on the moon in 2024."Ultimately, what we're trying to achieve is having numerous providers that are competing against each other on costs, innovation and safety. And then NASA can be a customer, one customer of many customers, and we already know that this will save a ton of money over the long term," Bridenstine told CNN Business' Rachel Crane earlier this week.
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