SpaceX rocket blasts off
International Space Station to welcome duo as Musk’s rocket enables Nasa’s first manned flight since 2011
AMERICA returned astronauts to orbit from US soil last night for the first time since 2011, as Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley blasted off in the first manned flight of Elon Musk’s SpaceX. With Donald Trump and Mike Pence, the vice president, watching from a platform at Cape Canaveral in Florida, the rocket lifted off at 3.22pm local time (8.22pm UK).
Ten million people watched the launch live, streamed on social media and broadcast on television networks around the world.
“This has been a long time coming,” said Jim Bridenstine, Nasa administrator, whose team was whooping and cheering in the control room as vital technical milestones passed without a glitch. “It’s been nine years since we launched American astronauts, from
American soil. And now it’s done.” Mr Hurley, 53, and Mr Behnken, 49 – friends for 20 years, both former fighter pilots, both married to fellow astronauts – flew in SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule, carried on top of one of the company’s Falcon 9 rockets.
The pair, who are both making their third trip to space, will now fly for 19 hours towards a planned rendezvous with the International Space Station.
Mr Hurley flew on the final space shuttle mission, in 2011.
Since then, Nasa astronauts have had to hitch rides into orbit aboard Russia’s
Soyuz spacecraft. Mr Bridenstine said he was praying as the rocket ignited.
“I’ve heard that rumble before but it’s a whole different feel when you have your team on that rocket,” he said. “They are America’s team.
“I’m breathing a sigh of relief. But
I’m not going to celebrate until Bob and Doug are home safely.”
Mr Bridenstine praised Mr Trump and Mr Pence for travelling to witness the launch twice in one week – it was originally due to happen on Wednesday, but was postponed owing to poor weather. Mr Trump became only the third sitting president to watch a launch live from the Kennedy Space Center.
“And he’s the only sitting president to watch American astronauts launch on a brand new rocket – that’s a big risk,” said Mr Bridenstine. “He’s holding himself accountable.”
The president said the launch was “beautiful”. “It’s incredible, the power, the technology,” he said. “That was a beautiful sight to see.”
For Mr Musk, the launch represents another milestone for the reusable rockets his company pioneered to make space flight less costly and more frequent. It also marks the first time commercially developed space vehicles – owned and operated by a private entity rather than Nasa – have carried Americans into orbit.
The last time Nasa launched astronauts into space aboard a brand new vehicle was 40 years ago at the start of the space shuttle programme.
“I hope this moment on time is an opportunity for everyone to reflect on humanity and what we can achieve when we work together,” said Mr Bridenstine.