- The SpaceX rocket successfully launched three American astronauts and a Russian cosmonaut into orbit
- A crack in the rocket's side hatch almost stalled the launch
- The Falcon rocket carried three NASA astronauts and a Russian cosmonaut
The SpaceX rocket successfully put three American astronauts and a Russian cosmonaut into orbit after concerns about cracks in the side hatch nearly derailed the launch.
Before the rocket launch, NASA's SpaceX Crew-8 mission discovered a problem with a crack in the side hatch. However, crews wanted to proceed with the launch, saying the crack was “too small” to be a concern.
At 10:53 p.m., SpaceX's Dragon Mission rocket, developed by Elon Musk and carrying the astronauts en route to the International Space Station, successfully launched from Florida and flew into orbit.
“Over the past 12 years, Dragon missions have carried more than 1,000 research experiments into orbit, giving researchers the opportunity to fly critical science into orbit,” SpaceX announced.
The SpaceX Falcon rocket is seen launching Sunday en route to the International Space Station from Launch Pad 39-A at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida
Space's Falcon rocket
Space's Falcon rocket
The astronauts were expected to reach the orbiting laboratory on Tuesday. They will replace a crew from the United States, Denmark, Japan and Russia that has been there since August.
Boeing's new Starliner capsule with test pilots is scheduled to appear at the end of April. A month or two later, Sierra Space's Dream Chaser, a mini-shuttle, is expected to arrive, carrying cargo, but not yet passengers, to the station.
Epps was originally tasked with flying Boeing's Starliner, but NASA switched to SpaceX after problems caused the Starliner to stall and stall.
She is the second black woman to be assigned to a long-term mission. She said before the flight that she was particularly proud of being a role model for black girls and showing that space travel was “an option for them” and “not just for other people.”
The astronauts were expected to reach the orbiting laboratory on Tuesday. They will replace a crew from the United States, Denmark, Japan and Russia that has been there since August
Epps is the second Black woman assigned to an extended station mission. Before the launch, she said she was particularly proud of being a role model for black girls and showing that space travel was “an option for them” and “not just for other people.”
She worked as an engineer for Ford Motor Co. and the CIA before becoming an astronaut in 2009.
Epps was scheduled to launch to the space station on a Russian rocket in 2018, but was replaced for reasons that were never publicly disclosed.
Dominick, a Navy pilot, and Grebenkin, a former Russian military officer, are also newbies to space.
Barratt, a doctor on his third mission, is the oldest full-time astronaut to ever fly in space. He will be 65 years old in April.
“As long as we stay healthy, fit and committed, we can fly,” Barratt said.
Flight controllers are monitoring a growing cabin leak on the Russian side of the space station.
The leak has doubled in recent weeks and the area has been sealed off, said NASA program manager Joel Montalbano. He emphasized that there was no impact on station operations or crew safety.