SpaceX has launched four more astronauts in the orbit aboard a reused Crew Dragon rocket. This was the third crew flight by Elon Musks¡¯s space startup in less than a year.
The astronauts aboard the spacecraft are expected to arrive at the International Space Station early Saturday after completing a 23-hour journey.?
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This entire launch was historic as this was the first time SpaceX reused a capsule and rocket to launch astronauts for NASA. The reliability of the capsule and rocket was proven after doing numerous cargo runs for NASA to the International Space Station.?
They¡¯re travelling in the same Dragon capsule that took its first flight in May last year, dubbed Endeavour. Whereas the rocket that¡¯s being reused first took flight in November last year when SpaceX launched its second astronaut flight to the ISS. There were some parts changed, including some valves, thermal shielding as well as new parachutes were installed on the capsule.?
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Even though the launch took place quite early in the morning, spectators had lined up to watch the Falcon ascend as the sun came up. The launch was in fact delayed by a day to ensure better weather along the East Coast in case of a launch abort and emergency shutdown.
The crew aboard the rocket includes spacecraft commander and NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough, NASA astronaut Megan McArthur, along with Japan's Akihiko Hoshide and France's Thomas Pesquet. Pesquet has also created history by becoming the first European to launch in a commercial crew capsule.?
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The astronauts will spend the next six months aboard the ISS. The crew of this mission along with spacecraft commander Shane Kimbrough have written their initials in the rocket¡¯s soot, starting a new tradition. Kimbrough said ¡°Glad to be back in space¡± after the capsule safely arrived in orbit.
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A week following this launch, Crew-1 astronauts that flew to the ISS in November will head back to Earth, with the spacecraft splashing in Florida.