CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Astronauts are expected to launch into space from U.S. soil for the first time in nearly a decade this afternoon.
In just a matter of hours the two astronauts will ride a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule sent into orbit by a Falcon 9 rocket.
Astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley are heading to the International Space Station without help from Russia. It will be the first crew to launch from the U.S. since 2011 when the Space Shuttle program was retired. It’s also the first time NASA is pairing with a private company to send astronauts into space.
If successful, this flight shows it is possible to reuse spacecraft, other than the Space Shuttle, making space travel less expensive for future expeditions.
NASA is tweeting about the importance of today noting that it’s “not only a big day for our teams – it’s a big day for our country.”
President Trump will be on hand for the event. He and the First Lady are scheduled to arrive in Florida around 2:30 pm EDT. The launch itself is slated for 4:33 p.m EDT from Launch Pad 39A. It’s the same site where a Saturn 5 first helped send humans to the moon and where the final Space Shuttle mission was launched.
The coronavirus is putting a bit of a damper on the day. COVID-19 fears mean the Kennedy Space Center will be closed to visitors. The weather had also been a concern as heavy rain and thunderstorms have been hitting areas around The Cape for the last few days.
You can catch the launch on NASA TV, Twitter, YouTube, Facebook and LinkedIn.
