On Wednesday, four astronauts were launched by SpaceX to the International Space Station from NASA in less than two days of completing a flight chartered by millionaires.
It was expected that astronauts would reach the space station on Wednesday night, 16 hours after the predawn launch from Kennedy Space Center that thrilled spectators.
NASA’s space operations mission chief Kathy Lueders said, “This is one of the most diversified, I think, crews that we’ve had in a really, really long time. Anyone who saw it realized what a beautiful launch it was”.
Jessica Watkins became the first black woman to be part of the first NASA crew comprising equally of men and women in the long-term spaceflight. In two years span, SpaceX has launched five crews for NASA and two private trips.
SpaceX and NASA officials said they’re taking it one step at a time to ensure safety. High winds delayed Monday’s splashdown, however, according to them, the private mission had no major problems.
The company is having busy weeks as it has just finished taking three businessmen to and from the space station as NASA’s first private guests. The three Americans and German will return to Earth in their own SpaceX capsule one week after the new crew arrives. The space station also houses three Russians.
