NASA launched the Falcon 9 rocket of SpaceX last week aiming to take 4 astronauts to the international space station (ISS). Falcon 9 of SpaceX loaded with the Crew Dragon spacecraft of the company was launched to the ISS.
Astronauts on Falcon 9 Rocket
Shane Kimbrough, Megan McArthur, an astronaut of a European agency named Thomas Presque, and an Astronaut from Japan Aerospace exploration agency named Akihiko Hoshide are present on the rocket.
With the successful launch, they are in the orbit. It was a launch that was bound for an international space station for the sake of a second commercial crew rotation mission. Astronauts were lifted off at 5:49 am in the morning of Friday. The launch was made in Kennedy space center, Florida. Astronauts are for the six-month science mission on the space station. From the mission control center in California, SpaceX will command the spacecraft during the flight of crew Dagon.
Success of Falcon 9 mission
NASA will be monitoring all operations of the space station throughout the flight from the control center of the mission located at Johnson space center in Houston. NASA has an incredible year as its commercial crew program has launched three new crew launches since last May. It is a milestone for NASA, SpaceX, and other international partners as well including ESA, and JAXA. The administrator of NASA said that it will be a cherishing moment to see our crew greeting each other in space. Spacecraft of crew dragon is also named as an endeavor and it will dock to the forward port of harmony station. It will module on 24 April at 5:10 am. Crew 2 is the second combined mission between NASA and SpaceX. It was the first commercial crew mission having two international partners.
NASA and SpaceX collaboration
It was the first commercial crew handover between crew 1 and crew 2 astronauts at the space station. Both crews will spend five days together until crew 1 returns on earth. With the help of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, it was the first reusable Crew Dragon spacecraft. It was the first time that a crew dragon endeavor will be docked. During the six-month course crew, 2 members will do science and maintenance. It can stay in orbit for 210 days as per the requirement of NASA. Crew 2 astronaut members will also see US commercial spacecraft.
NASA and Space X are collaborative and support seven sites for splashdown which are located on the east coast of Florida and Mexico. NASA is trying to provide reliable, safe, and cost-effective transportation to the space station. The space station is considered as a signpost of NASA and it is the next great leap in the exploration of space.
