For the first time in history, NASA astronauts have launched from the United State of America’s soil in a commercially (built by private sector) built and operated American crew spacecraft on its way to the International Space Station. The Space X Crew Dragon spacecraft carrying NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley lifted off on May 30, 2020 (US time) on the company’s Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
- Known as NASA’s SpaceX Demo-2, the mission is an end-to-end test flight to validate the SpaceX crew transportation system, including launch, in-orbit, docking and landing operations.
- This is SpaceX’s second spaceflight test of its Crew Dragon and its first test with astronauts aboard, which will pave the way for its certification for regular crew flights to the station as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.
- This is the first orbital human spaceflight to depart from American soil since NASA retired its space shuttle fleet in 2011.
- The Demo-2 mission is the final major test before NASA’s Commercial Crew Program certifies Crew Dragon for operational, long-duration missions to the space station
- NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley aboard the SpaceX Dragon Endeavour arrived at the International Space Station on May 31, 2020. The Crew Dragon arrived at the station’s Harmony port.
- The capsule measures about 20 feet tall by 12 feet in diameter, and will carry up to 7 astronauts at a time.
Source: NASA (Image: NASA)
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