Posted on 04/23/2021 12:15:12 AM PDT by Berlin_Freeper
Watch live starting at 1:30 a.m. EDT (5:30 UTC), Fri., April 23, as four astronauts launch from Earth to their new home in space, the International Space Station.
At 5:49 a.m. EDT (9:49 UTC), 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 our 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.
#LaunchAmerica
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Tnks!
It used to be a great event and American pride to send our best into space but the coverage is of the rot of America and rotting of Americans.
Ain’t that the truth. But you have to rise above and admire the best of America.
Snappy space suits.
30 minutes to go...
9 min
5
1
I wonder how much anxiety, nerves in play at the launch site. This is not really “routine” like a trip to the grocery store ;-)
Go!
It’s off the ground ... right on time.
2nd stage lit up - that nozzle gets to heat like “right now.”
AWESOME
Interesting that it holds altitude and builds to orbital velocity
LOL, “Of course I still love you loss of signal”
Phenomenal achievement!
1st stage safely return to drone ship!!
Stage 1 landed, stage 2 separated, capsule in orbit!
Time for bed.
Oh, time to get up.
That was great!!
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