SpaceX Crew Dragon Endeavour is launching four astronauts launch from Earth to their new home in space, the International Space Station.
The SpaceX Crew Dragon Endeavour spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket will lift off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur of NASA, Thomas Pesquet of the European Space Agency, and Akihiko Hoshide of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency will join the station’s crew, for a mission of approximately six months.
This will be the first launch through the Commercial Crew Program to fly two international partner astronauts, and the first reuse of a Crew Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket for a crew mission.
Once aboard the station, the Crew-2 astronauts will spend a lot of time on science — in areas such as medical technology, human health, and materials to benefit life on Earth. The space station is a unique scientific platform, enabling researchers from all over the world to put their talents to work on innovative experiments. It has instruments that monitor our home planet’s global climate, environmental changes, and natural hazards.
The Astronauts ride in a convoy of Tesla’s to drive from Operations to the Launch Complex.
SpaceX is the only US-certified crew launch provider.
SpaceX will also be landing crews on the moon with a modified lunar landing SpaceX Starship.
SOURCES – NASA
Written by Brian Wang, Nextbigfuture.com
Brian Wang is a Futurist Thought Leader and a popular Science blogger with 1 million readers per month. His blog Nextbigfuture.com is ranked #1 Science News Blog. It covers many disruptive technology and trends including Space, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Medicine, Anti-aging Biotechnology, and Nanotechnology.
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I wish I'd realized what was up; According to local witnesses, the rocket plume caught the high altitude sun and was spectacular. Could have seen it if I'd just known to step out my door.
https://www.wyff4.com/article/spacex-launch-seen-across-upstate-and-western-nc/36208121#
AGreed. They should just change that CST-100 program into an Academic Degree so at least the staff get something out of putting so many years into it…
ah yes. upgrade from Advanced crew escape suits and such down through, geez-Columbia? Obviously, not spacewalk-able but flame and some depressurization methinks. Someone called the others 'pumpkin suits'???
what's with those suits? what do they protect against and under what situations are they better than high-altitude flight suits – weird.
3 women were gossiping in the Lunchroom about their spouses.
"My husband is a weightlifter," said one woman. "When we make love, it is terrific because he is so powerful."
"My husband runs marathons," said a second woman. "When we make love, it is amazing because he has such stamina.:
"Well my husband is the lead designer for the Boeing Starliner," said the third woman. "We have never actually made love yet. But, he tells me when we finally do, it's going to be fabulous!"
Another beautiful launch. Too early/late for me to watch it live, though.
But launch windows don't wait for convenient TV watching slots.
A thing of beauty