SpaceX Launch: NASA Astronauts Begin Historic Mission On Private Spaceship
It’s the first time since the retirement of the shuttles nine years ago that an American crew has made the journey from US territory.
The agency will no longer own the vehicles it uses but merely purchase the “taxi” service offered by SpaceX.
It’s hoped companies other than tech billionaire Elon Musk’s SpaceX outfit will come in to expand the market. The aerospace giant Boeing already has a contract with NASA to do so.
Mr Musk himself said he was overcome with emotion watching his hardware take the astronauts to orbit.
“I think this is something that should get people right in the heart, of anyone that has the spirit of exploration. And the US is the distillation of the spirit of exploration,” he told reporters.
“Past leaders put the US at the mercy of foreign nations to send our astronauts into orbit. Not anymore,” he said. “Today we once again proudly launched American astronauts on American rockets – the best in the world – from right here on American soil.”
Hurley’s and Behnken’s Dragon ship left Earth atop its Falcon-9 rocket precisely on time – at 15:22 EDT (19:22 GMT / 20:22 BST).
Meteorologists had forecast only a 50:50 chance of favourable conditions around Florida’s Kennedy Space Center at lift-off, but, as luck would have it, the weather window stayed open and the SpaceX controllers grabbed their opportunity.
The Falcon soared off the spaceport’s famous 39A pad to head northeast out over the Atlantic. After two-and-a-half minutes, the lower-stage of the vehicle had separated to return to a drone ship at sea. And after a further six minutes, the crew were safely inserted into orbit.
