Historic: Space X Successfully Sends Astronauts Into Space

After weather played a spoilsport to launch the rocket first crewed spaceflight to International Space Station, the NASA and SpaceX have successfully completed the historic launch on Saturday afternoon at 3:22 PM EST. Just 45 minutes before the launch, weather officials said that the forecast was looking good for launch.

SpaceX’s two-stage ‘Falcon 9’ rocket which soared into atmosphere had two astronauts Bob Behnken & Doug Hurley aboard. Elon Musk founded Space X is the first private commercial firm to launch a rocket and it’s first launch in US soil after 9 years – since the space shuttle program ended in 2011.

The first stage of rocket broke off and second stage has lit its engine in taking the astronauts to Earth’s orbit at around 17,000 miles per hours. After spending 19 hours, the two astronauts will reach International Space Station by 10:30 am ET on Sunday.

This rocket launch was officially witnessed by US president Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and Space X CEO Elon Musk. After the launch, Trump spoke to media saying “America’s proudest moments are still ahead. In the years ahead, America will go bigger, bolder, further, faster, and America will go first. You can’t be #1 on Earth if you are #2 in space. America will not be #2 anywhere!”.