A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying two veteran NASA astronauts lifted off on Saturday on an historic first private crewed flight into space.
The two-stage Falcon 9 rocket with astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley aboard blasted off smoothly in a cloud of orange flames and smoke from Launch Pad 39A at Florida's Kennedy Space Center for the 19-hour voyage to the International Space Station.
The first booster stage of the rocket separated cleanly and landed upright on a barge off the Atlantic coast.
The second stage also separated smoothly, sending the astronauts in the Crew Dragon capsule on their way to the space station orbiting some 250 miles (450 kilometers) above the Earth.
The first crewed flight from US soil since the space shuttle program ended in 2011 had originally been scheduled for Wednesday but was delayed because of weather conditions, which also remained uncertain on Saturday right up until liftoff at 3:22 pm (1922 GMT).
President Donald Trump flew to Florida aboard Air Force One to watch the launch and described it as "really something special."
"Real talent, real genius, nobody does it like us," Trump said.
Here are the Highlights of the SpaceX crewed mission launch:
Welcome aboard the @SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft!
- NASA (@NASA) May 31, 2020
In this video from space, @AstroBehnken and @Astro_Doug reveal the name of their capsule: Endeavour. Take a look inside as the crew continues their journey to the @Space_Station: https://t.co/K9S5mejONx pic.twitter.com/mvH8UhE5FW
The @SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft is named Endeavour, @JimBridenstine says. Tune in for #LaunchAmerica updates: https://t.co/2UI1UqbMOt pic.twitter.com/boHMe8mqmv
- NASA (@NASA) May 30, 2020
"By 2024 our astronauts will return to the lunar surface to establish a permanent presence and a launching pad to Mars. And the first woman on the Moon will be an American woman." - @POTUS on humanity's return to the Moon with our #Artemis program. pic.twitter.com/VeoHFtkrHr
- NASA (@NASA) May 30, 2020
"I am thrilled to announce that the @SpaceX Dragon capsule has successfully reached low-Earth orbit and that our @NASA_Astronauts are safe and sound." - @POTUS delivering remarks on today's #LaunchAmerica milestone. pic.twitter.com/bWnDvRX1L5
- NASA (@NASA) May 30, 2020
"American astronauts returned to space on an American rocket from American soil for the first time in nearly 10 years. You did it." - @VP Pence offers congratulations on #LaunchAmerica. pic.twitter.com/bpvoCeCr9U
- NASA (@NASA) May 30, 2020
VIEWS FROM SPACE: Just 2 minutes before liftoff, @Space_Station astronaut Chris Cassidy took this photo of @NASAKennedy from nearly 250 miles up, showing the @SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on the pad. #LaunchAmerica pic.twitter.com/uMexRXgsQY
- NASA (@NASA) May 30, 2020
For the first time in 9 years, we have now launched American astronauts on American rockets from American soil. I'm so proud of the @NASA and @SpaceX team for making this moment possible. #LaunchAmerica https://t.co/XiqPAj6Saa
- Jim Bridenstine (@JimBridenstine) May 30, 2020
Crew Dragon has successfully separated. Next stop? The International @Space_Station. #LaunchAmerica pic.twitter.com/rDKFzPouTE
- NASA (@NASA) May 30, 2020
Vehicle is supersonic. #LaunchAmerica pic.twitter.com/ea7iteD2j9
- NASA (@NASA) May 30, 2020
Safety first and foremost.
- NASA (@NASA) May 30, 2020
The #LaunchAmerica crew is arming the launch escape system, which gives the crew the ability to safely escape from the time of launch all the way to orbit. pic.twitter.com/Y56pn0KZ6a
Ready for launch @NASA pic.twitter.com/4hPZOPe7SF
- SpaceX (@SpaceX) May 30, 2020
Live webcast of Crew Dragon's test flight with @NASA astronauts @AstroBehnken and @Astro_Doug → https://t.co/bJFjLCzWdK https://t.co/qalF7oCJO6
- SpaceX (@SpaceX) May 30, 2020
The project has experienced delays, explosions, and parachute problems -- but even so, SpaceX has beaten its competitor, aerospace giant Boeing, to the punch, news agency AFP reported.
President Donald Trump, who flew in for the previous launch attempt, is also planning to attend.
The Crew Dragon mission is a defining moment for SpaceX, which Elon Musk founded in 2002 with the goal of producing a lower-cost alternative to human spaceflight.
By 2012, it had become the first private company to dock a cargo capsule at the International Space Station, resupplying the station regularly ever since.
The US space agency paid more than $3 billion for SpaceX to design, build, test and operate its reusable Dragon capsule for six future space round-trips, news agency AFP reported.
Crew Dragon's hatch is closed, securing @AstroBehnken and @Astro_Doug in the spacecraft ahead of liftoff pic.twitter.com/8eNbxUIMDx
- SpaceX (@SpaceX) May 30, 2020
Our crew is ready. Let's do this.#LaunchAmerica pic.twitter.com/PoV1rjFbpC
- NASA (@NASA) May 30, 2020
First @NASA astronauts to fly aboard Crew Dragon don their SpaceX spacesuits pic.twitter.com/LQbRdF2WJd
- SpaceX (@SpaceX) May 30, 2020
SpaceX rocket with the new Crew Dragon capsule on top was suppose to take off from Launch Pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center, the same from which Neil Armstrong and his Apollo crewmates left for their historic journey to the Moon.
Space Exploration Technologies Corp. was founded in 2002 by a Mars-obsessed entrepreneur determined to break the rules of the aerospace industry's game, Elon Musk.
Gradually, it has earned the trust of the planet's largest space agency.
By 2012, it had become the first private company to dock a cargo capsule at the ISS, resupplying the station regularly ever since.
Two years later, NASA ordered the next step: to transport its astronauts there, starting in 2017, by adapting the Dragon capsule.
"SpaceX would not be here without NASA," said Musk last year, after a successful dress rehearsal without humans for the trip to the ISS.
The space agency paid more than $3 billion for SpaceX to design, build, test and operate its reusable capsule for six future space round trips, news agency AFP reported.
We are ready for liftoff! Tune in today starting at 11 a.m. ET to watch live coverage of the launch that will return human spaceflight to U.S. soil for the first time since 2011. #LaunchAmerica
- NASA Commercial Crew (@Commercial_Crew) May 30, 2020
Liftoff is slated for today at 3:22 p.m. ET: https://t.co/H0kcgIhtmj pic.twitter.com/KfUSgHhtQ4
Proceeding with countdown today, weather cancellation risk 50%
- Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 30, 2020
All systems go for Crew Dragon's test flight with @NASA astronauts @AstroBehnken and @Astro_Doug. Teams are keeping an eye on weather. Webcast will go live at ~11:00 a.m. EDT → https://t.co/bJFjLCilmc pic.twitter.com/AXDGNfqv0K
- SpaceX (@SpaceX) May 30, 2020
