SpaceX launch: Astronauts to lift off from US soil for first time in nearly a decade
Nasa is set to send two astronauts to the International Space Station this afternoon, in a historic mission that marks the first crewed launch from US soil in almost a decade.
In a spaceship built by Elon Musk's California-based company SpaceX, astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley will launch from Florida's Kennedy Space Centre at 9.33pm UK time.
The "Crew Dragon" capsule carrying the two men will be launched into orbit by SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket, arriving at the space station after 19 hours.
The mission is also the first crewed launch for SpaceX, and for Nasa's Commercial Crew Programme, which partners with private companies to send astronauts to the ISS.
The US space agency last sent people to the ISS in 2011, and since then has relied on Russia's space programme to take its crews to and from the station, at a cost of as much as $86m (£70m) each time. It hopes the commercial crew programme will cut the price for initial launches to $55m.
At a news conference on Tuesday Nasa administrator Jim Bridenstine said: "This is a unique opportunity to bring all of America together in one moment in time and say, 'Look at how bright the future is.' That's what this launch is all about."
Mr Hurley, 53, who also flew the US's space shuttle in its final 2011 mission, and Mr Behnken, 49, are expected to spend one to four months on the space station, with the main purpose of the mission being to test the Crew Dragon's operations and safety.
The pair have been in strict isolation leading up to the launch, which because of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic will take place without the public spectators who normally flock to the Space Centre to see rockets lift off.
The launch is the culmination of a six-year programme for Nasa and SpaceX, which was awarded a $2.6bn contract to develop spaceships for Nasa in 2014.
SpaceX, founded by Mr Musk in 2002, is known for its reusable rockets and is expected to try to recover its first-stage booster by landing it on a platform in the sea.
On Tuesday evening the agency said there was a 60pc chance of favourable weather at the planned launch time. It has May 30 and 31st as back-up days if conditions are too windy or cloudy.
