SpaceX targets April 20 for second space launch

SpaceX is targeting April 20 for the launch of the second crew rotation mission for NASA that will launch four astronauts aboard a Crew Dragon spacecraf t on a Falcon 9 rocket to the International Space Station. It will be the first mission to fly two international partner crew members as part of the agency's Commercial Crew Programme, NASA said in a blog post. NASA astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur will serve as spacecraf t commander and pilot, respectively. Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Akihiko Hoshide, and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Thomas Pesquet will join as mission specialists. —IANS