CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., Nov 10 (Reuters) – NASA and private rocket company SpaceX launched four astronauts into orbit late on Wednesday en route to the International Space Station, including a veteran spacewalker and two younger crewmates chosen to join NASA’s future lunar missions. The SpaceX-built launch vehicle, consisting of a Crew Dragon capsule perched atop a two-stage Falcon 9 rocket, climbed into the night sky from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, as its nine Merlin engines roared to life at about 9 p.m. (0200 GMT Thursday). Liftoff of the Dragon spacecraft, named Endurance by the crew, was aired live from Cape Canaveral on NASA TV. Intermittent rain and clouds over the Cape earlier in the day had cast doubt on launch prospects, but the weather cleared by flight time, NASA said. Live video footage webcast by NASA showed the four crew members seated calmly and strapped into the pressurized cabin of their gleaming white SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, wearing their helmeted white and black flight suits several minutes after liftoff. Within about 10 minutes of liftoff, the rocket’s upper stage had delivered the crew capsule to Earth orbit, according to launch commentators. The rocket’s reusable lower stage separated from… Read full this story
- SpaceX launches four astronauts to space station in new era for Nasa
- Four SpaceX astronauts reach International Space Station after historic launch
- Astronauts Dock With Space Station After Historic SpaceX Launch
- First all-civilian flight to orbit blazes new trail for charity with this week's SpaceX launch
- The International Space Station crew will spend this weekend testing a cabin air leak
- SpaceX launch: 12 minutes that will mark a new era in human space exploration
- SpaceX launch LIVE stream: How to watch SpaceX's historic 'all civilian' spaceflight
- SpaceX launches four people to orbit in company's first-ever tourism mission
- ‘Many will follow’ : SpaceX sends all-civilian crew into orbit
- Watch historical moment SpaceX's first ever civilian-only space rocket blasts off
NASA, SpaceX launch 'Crew 3' astronauts to orbit on flight to space station have 311 words, post on www.reuters.com at November 11, 2021. This is cached page on xBlogs. If you want remove this page, please contact us.