SpaceX on Sunday launched four astronauts on a flight to the International Space Station, marking NASA’s first full-fledged mission sending a crew into orbit aboard a privately owned spacecraft.
SpaceX’s newly designed Crew Dragon capsule lifted off atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at 7:27 p.m. Eastern time from Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida.
US President Donald Trump praised the launch and wrote on Twitter, “A great launch! NASA was a closed up disaster when we took over. Now it is again the ‘hottest’, most advanced, space center in the world, by far!”
Former Vice President and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden wrote, “Congratulations to NASA and SpaceX on today's launch. It’s a testament to the power of science and what we can accomplish by harnessing our innovation, ingenuity, and determination. I join all Americans and the people of Japan in wishing the astronauts Godspeed on their journey.”