NASA’s SpaceX Crew-1 Mission Launches Carrying 4 Astronauts

Photo Credit: Jim Lee/Rocketrazzi

This Falcon 9 rocket lit up the sky as it launched last night from the Space Coast on NASA’s SpaceX Crew-1 mission to the International Space Station (ISS). This launch is significant as it is the first commercial human spacecraft system to be certified by NASA and is the first of six crewed missions NASA and SpaceX will fly as part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program. Its purpose is to expand access to low-Earth orbit and the ISS to more people and science, and provide more commercial opportunities.

The Crew Dragon spacecraft carries NASA astronauts Michael Hopkins, Victor Glover, and Shannon Walker, along with Soichi Noguchi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), into orbit to begin a six-month science mission aboard the space station.

The crew will conduct science and maintenance during a six-month stay aboard the ISS laboratory and will return in spring 2021. It is scheduled to be the longest human space mission launched from the United States. The Crew Dragon spacecraft is capable of staying in orbit for at least 210 days.

The spacecraft, was named Resilience, by the astronauts which highlights the dedication of the NASA and SpaceX teams and to demonstrate that when working together, there is no limit to what can be achieved. They named it in honor of their families, colleagues, and fellow citizens. You can see astronauts Rubins, Hopkins, Glover, Walker, and Noguchi in a live crew news conference from orbit at 9:55 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 19, on NASA TV and the agency’s website.