SpaceX rocket: Four astronauts launched to the International Space Station

After the launch was halted Monday, the SpaceX rocket is now on its way to the International Space Station. The Crew-6 crew of four will replace the current Crew-5 and stay on the International Space Station for six months.

A manned rocket from the private US space company SpaceX has been launched to the International Space Station (ISS). The “Falcon 9” rocket, with the four astronauts Stephen Bowen and Warren Hoburg from the United States of America, the Russian Andrei Vidjagio and Sultan al-Najadi from the United Arab Emirates, launched from the Cape Canaveral Space Center in the American state shortly after midnight (local time) off Florida.

“Congratulations to the NASA and SpaceX teams on another historic mission to the International Space Station,” said Bill Nelson, NASA Chief of Staff. The Dragon spacecraft is scheduled to dock with the International Space Station tomorrow.

late start

The rocket was to be launched from Kennedy Space Center on Monday. However, the so-called “Crew 6” mission was canceled two minutes before the scheduled start because, according to NASA, there was a problem with the ignition system. “It took a couple of tries, but it was worth the trip,” Bowen said. Crew-6 will spend six months on the International Space Station.

Al-Najdi, 41, is the fourth astronaut from an Arab country and the second astronaut from the UAE to go into space. In 2019, his compatriot Hessa Al Mansouri spent eight days on the International Space Station. Crew-6 will replace Crew-5 on the International Space Station after a several-day delivery.

A total of seven astronauts on the International Space Station

The Russian Anna Kikina, the American astronaut Nicole Mann, her compatriot Josh Kasada, and the Japanese Koichi Wakata arrived aboard the “Dragon” space capsule aboard the International Space Station in October and are now scheduled to return to Earth.

In addition to these, there are three more members of the International Space Station: American astronaut Frank Rubio and Russian cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitry Petlin. Their return was delayed about six months due to the discovery of a leak in the Soyuz capsule that took them to the International Space Station in September last year. That’s why replacement spacecraft arrived at the International Space Station over the weekend, and the three of them will likely return to Earth next September.