Launching NASA Astronauts Into Space, SpaceX Emerges As The 1st Ever Private Company To Do So

We all know that NASA has launched astronauts into the space after almost a decade where no such activity took place in the last 10 years approximately. But what is actually a pioneer feat here is that for the very first time in the history, a private company has built the spacecraft which was used for the same and it was done by none other than Elon Musk’s SpaceX.

On Saturday, the company’s reusable Falcon 9 rocket took off from the U.S state of Florida’s Kennedy Space Center after the first attempt was scrubbed due to bad weather conditions last Wednesday. The SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft carries two NASA astronauts, Robert Behnken, and Douglas Hurley, who are expected to reach the ISS (International Space Station) on Sunday.

Moreover, SpaceX is on its way to becoming the first private company to carry NASA astronauts to the ISS, Behnken and Hurley, who are the first people to make a trip with the private spaceflight company. The success of NASA’s Demo-2 brings the U.S closer to eventually bringing astronauts back to the Moon, and then possibly on to Mars.

MUSK told CBS News’ Mark Strassmann that, I’m the chief engineer. “So I’d just like to say if it goes right, its credit goes to the SpaceX-NASA Team. If it goes wrong, it is my fault.”

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, sadly, there were no far-reaching crowds to watch the launch, both on Wednesday and Saturday. The astronauts, Douglas Hurley and Robert Behnken both had to virtually hug their families goodbye because of the epidemic.

Lastly, after successful tie-up, the crew will be welcomed aboard to the ISS (International Space Station) where they will become members of the expedition 63 crew, which currently includes NASA astronaut CHRIS CASSIDY.