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Watch NASA and SpaceX launch astronauts (updated)

Bad weather scrubbed the mission for today.

NASA/ Bill Ingalls

This afternoon NASA astronauts will take off from US soil for the first time since NASA’s space shuttle program ended in 2011. The launch is historic for another reason too. It will be the first time NASA launches astronauts in a SpaceX spacecraft, and it marks the beginning of what could be many crewed missions NASA astronauts will complete via SpaceX.

You can watch the launch via the NASA Live feed. It’s scheduled for 4:33PM ET, with pre- and post-launch coverage, including the national anthem sung by Kelly Clarkson.

Update (4:30 PM ET): The launch attempt has been scrubbed due to unfavorable weather conditions. NASA and SpaceX said the next launch window will occur on Saturday afternoon at 3:22 PM ET.

The SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft will launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It’s scheduled to dock at the International Space Station at 11:39AM ET tomorrow, May 28th.

This will be SpaceX’s final test flight for NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. If all goes as planned, NASA will launch its first operational flight with SpaceX later this year. This could pave the way for Tom Cruise movies in space and private citizen space tourism. SpaceX is also competing to develop Moon landing gear for NASA’s Artemis program.