SpaceX Launces Astronauts to the International Space Station in Historic Mission

By Lorah Utter

 

November 15, 2020

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SpaceX launched four astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) today at 7:27 PM in an historic mission. This is the first time NASA astronauts have launched from American soil in a commercially built and operated spacecraft on its way to the ISS.

 

The spacecraft, Dragon, has four passengers: NASA astronauts Mike Hopkins, Victor Glover, Shannon Walker, and an astronaut from Japan’s space agency, Solchi Noguchi.

 

The astronauts sit inside a capsule called the Crew Dragon which is equipped with an emergency escape system. If the rocket carrying the capsule fails, eight SuperDraco engines will propel the Crew Dragon up and away from the rocket. Then, when it’s at a safe distance, the capsule can deploy its four main parachutes and lower itself gently into the Atlantic Ocean.

 

Dragon is capable of carrying seven passengers to and from earth’s orbit. It is the only currently flying spacecraft that is capable of carrying significant amounts of cargo back to earth.

 

© 2020 Funacular Space News

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