FLORIDA, Nov 16 (NNN-AGENCIES) – NASA and SpaceX, a few minutes ago launched four astronauts on a flight to send them to the International Space Station. This is NASA’s first mission, where they are sending astronauts on a full-fledged mission aboard a privately owned spacecraft.
The spacecraft takes an Air Force colonel, Mike Hopkins, physicist, Shannon Walker, navy commander and rookie astronaut, Victor Glover, who is the first Black astronaut to spend a full five to six months aboard the space station, along with Japanese astronaut, Soichi Noguchi.
Families of the astronauts present at NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre in Florida greeted the astronauts and waved them goodbye as they took-off. Due to Tesla Inc Chief Executive Officer, Elon Musk’s absence, due to COVID-19, SpaceX President, Gwynne Shotwell joined Nasa administrator, Jim Bridenstine, ahead of the take-off.
The crew named the capsule ‘Resilience’ in a bid to highlight the challenges the year 2020 has faced so far. The lift-off at 5:57 am, has brought a lot of spectators to the towns next to Cape Canaveral.
The astronauts conducted all tests and the spacecraft was checked ahead of the lift-off, according to a series of tweets shared by NASA, ahead of the liftoff. SpaceX’s first regular space flight, is a reusable rocket named Falcon 9, developed and built by SpaceX.
NASA administrator, Jim Bridenstine, told reporters that, this mission means there can now be operational flights to the International Space Station. He said, “The history being made this time is we’re launching what we call an operational flight to the International Space Station.”
Tesla Inc Chief Executive Officer, Elon Musk, was not able to attend the event as he said that he has developed a moderate case of COVID-19. He tweeted, “Am getting wildly different results from different labs, but most likely I have a moderate case of COVID.”– NNN-AGENCIES
