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SpaceX, the missile company of high-tech entrepreneur Elon Musk, sent four astronauts on a flight to the International Space Station on Sunday.
SpaceX’s new Crew Dragon capsule, which the crew dubbed Resilience, took off on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at 7:27 pm local time, from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. On board are Americans Mike Hopkins, Victor Glover, Shannon Walker and Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi.
The rocket reached the planet’s orbit nine minutes later. His arrival at the space station is scheduled for Monday evening and will remain there until spring.
The four astronauts who are part of NASA’s first crew rotation mission using a commercial spacecraft will be joined by two Russian colleagues and an American who arrived there last month from Kazakhstan.
“By working together in these difficult times, they have inspired the nation, the world and, to a large extent, the name of this incredible vehicle, Resilience,” said Commander Mike Hopkins just before takeoff.
United States Vice President Mike Pence traveled to Florida to join NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine to attend the launch on Sunday.
“I didn’t start breathing until about a minute after takeoff,” Pence said during a stop at SpaceX Launch Control to congratulate workers.
During their time on the space station, the crew members will conduct a series of scientific experiments, including growing radishes and using microgravity to test leukemia drugs. They are also introducing a new and redesigned toilet that, according to NASA, will help prepare for future missions to the Moon and Mars.
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