Four astronauts launch aboard the SpaceX Falcon 9 – Spaceflight Now rocket



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These images show the takeoff of SpaceX’s Crew Dragon Resilience spacecraft atop a 65-meter-tall Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Pad 39A in Florida, transporting four astronauts on an expedition to the International Space Station.

The Falcon 9 rocket took off from Pad 39A at 19:27:17 EST on November 15 (0027:17 GMT on November 16) with NASA commander Mike Hopkins, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Shannon Walker and the Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi.

The Falcon 9 launcher darted across an evening sky, targeting the International Space Station as it flew northeast from the Florida Space Coast powered by nine Merlin 1D engines generating 1.7 million pounds of ground-shaking thrust.

The mission, known as Crew-1, marked the crew’s first operational rotation flight to the space station with SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule and Falcon 9 rocket.

After a 27 1/2 hour chase, the Crew Dragon Resilience spacecraft docked autonomously at the space station at 11:01 PM EST on November 16 (0401 GMT on November 17). A few hours later, Hopkins and his crewmates entered the space station to join three crew members who were already living aboard the orbiting research lab.

Read our full story for more details on the mission.

NASA astronauts Shannon Walker and Mike Hopkins walk through the crew access arm leading to the Crew Dragon capsule at Pad 39A. Credit: SpaceX
Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi and NASA astronaut Victor Glover cross the crew access arm leading to the Crew Dragon capsule at Pad 39A. Credit: SpaceX
The astronauts of the crew-1 buckled to the seats before launch. Credit: SpaceX
NASA astronaut Victor Glover and JAXA astronaut Soichi Noguchi are seen on the fixed service facility at Pad 39A before boarding the Crew Dragon. Credit: NASA / Joel Kowsky
Credit: NASA / Joel Kowsky
Credit: NASA / Joel Kowsky
The Crew Dragon Resilience spacecraft departs from Pad 39A atop a 215 foot tall Falcon 9 launcher. Credit: NASA / Joel Kowsky
Credit: SpaceX
Credit: SpaceX
Credit: SpaceX
Credit: NASA / Joel Kowsky
Credit: SpaceX

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