SpaceX astronaut launch: 5 things you need to know
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By Michelle Ewing, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Four astronauts headed to the International Space Station after Sunday’s historic launch from Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Photos: SpaceX capsule with 4 astronauts reaches International Space Station In this frame grab from NASA TV, astronaut Soichi Noguchi, background right, is greeted by astronaut Kate Rubins, as he enters the International Space Station from the vestibule between the SpaceX Dragon capsule and the ISS, early Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020. (NASA TV via AP)
Photos: SpaceX capsule with 4 astronauts reaches International Space Station In this frame grab from NASA TV, SpaceX Dragon crew, from front left to right, Shannon Walker, Victor Glover, Mike Hopkins and Soichi Noguchi stand with International Space Station crew Kate Rubins, from back left, Expedition 64 commander Sergey Ryzhikov and Sergey Kud-Sverchkov during a welcome ceremony, early Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020. The Dragon arrived and docked at the ISS late Monday. (NASA TV via AP)
Photos: SpaceX capsule with 4 astronauts reaches International Space Station In this frame grab from NASA TV, astronaut Mike Hopkins, center, is greeted by astronaut Kate Rubins, left, as he enters the International Space Station from the vestibule between the SpaceX Dragon capsule and the ISS, early Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020. At right is Expedition 64 commander Sergey Ryzhikov. (NASA TV via AP)
Photos: SpaceX capsule with 4 astronauts reaches International Space Station In this frame grab from NASA TV, astronaut Shannon Walker, second from left, is greeted by astronaut Kate Rubins, left, as she enters the International Space Station after arriving from the SpaceX Dragon capsule, early Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020. At right, Expedition 64 commander Sergey Ryzhikov hugs astronaut Victor Glover. (NASA TV via AP)
Photos: SpaceX capsule with 4 astronauts reaches International Space Station In this frame grab from NASA TV, astronaut Victor Glover, center, is greeted by astronaut Kate Rubins as he enters the International Space Station from the vestibule between the SpaceX Dragon capsule and the ISS, early Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020. At right is Expedition 64 commander Sergey Ryzhikov. (NASA TV via AP)
Photos: SpaceX capsule with 4 astronauts reaches International Space Station In this frame grab from NASA TV, the SpaceX Dragon is seen after docking at the International Space Station, late Monday, Nov. 16, 2020. (NASA TV via AP)
Photos: SpaceX capsule with 4 astronauts reaches International Space Station In this frame grab from NASA TV, the SpaceX Dragon capsule approaches the International Space Station, late Monday, Nov. 16, 2020. (NASA TV via AP)
Photos: SpaceX capsule with 4 astronauts reaches International Space Station In this frame grab from NASA TV, astronauts Mike Hopkins, left, and Victor Glover monitor controls aboard SpaceX Dragon as the capsule approaches the International Space Station, late Monday, Nov. 16, 2020. (NASA TV via AP)
According to The Associated Press, the astronauts traveled in a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, dubbed Resilience, aboard a Falcon 9 rocket and arrived at the International Space Station late Monday.
Photos: SpaceX launches 2nd crew as regular station crew flights begin A Falcon 9 SpaceX rocket with the Crew Dragon capsule is seen during a time exposure as it lifts off from pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Sunday, Nov. 15, 2020. Four astronauts are beginning a mission to the International Space Station. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Photos: SpaceX launches 2nd crew as regular station crew flights begin The countdown clock is stopped at a three-hour built in hold as a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, with the company's Crew Dragon capsule attached, sits on the launch pad at Launch Complex 39A Sunday, Nov. 15, 2020, at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Photos: SpaceX launches 2nd crew as regular station crew flights begin NASA astronaut Shannon Walker leaves the Operations and Checkout Building on her way to launch pad 39A for the SpaceX Crew-1 mission to the International Space Station at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Sunday, Nov. 15, 2020. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Photos: SpaceX launches 2nd crew as regular station crew flights begin The countdown clock is stopped at a three-hour built in hold as a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, with the company's Crew Dragon capsule attached, sits on the launch pad at Launch Complex 39A Sunday, Nov. 15, 2020, at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Photos: SpaceX launches 2nd crew as regular station crew flights begin NASA astronaut Victor Glover reacts to family members as leaves the Operations and Checkout Building with fellow crew members for a trip to Launch Pad 39-A and planned liftoff on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the Crew Dragon capsule on a six-month mission to the International Space Station Sunday, Nov. 15, 2020, at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Photos: SpaceX launches 2nd crew as regular station crew flights begin Astronauts, from left, Victor Glover, Michael Hopkins, Shannon Walker, and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Soichi Noguchi wave to family members as they leave the Operations and Checkout Building for a trip to Launch Pad 39-A and planned liftoff on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the Crew Dragon capsule on a six-month mission to the International Space Station Sunday, Nov. 15, 2020, at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Photos: SpaceX launches 2nd crew as regular station crew flights begin NASA astronaut Michael Hopkins reacts to friends as he leaves the Operations and Checkout Building with fellow crew members for a trip to Launch Pad 39-A and planned liftoff on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the Crew Dragon capsule on a six-month mission to the International Space Station Sunday, Nov. 15, 2020, at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Photos: SpaceX launches 2nd crew as regular station crew flights begin Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Soichi Noguchi reacts as he leaves the Operations and Checkout Building with fellow crew members for a trip to Launch Pad 39-A and planned liftoff on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the Crew Dragon capsule on a six-month mission to the International Space Station Sunday, Nov. 15, 2020, at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Photos: SpaceX launches 2nd crew as regular station crew flights begin A SpaceX Falcon9 rocket, with the Crew Dragon capsule attached, lift's off from Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39-A Sunday Nov. 15, 2020, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Photos: SpaceX launches 2nd crew as regular station crew flights begin Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Soichi Noguchi waves to family members as he leaves the Operations and Checkout Building with fellow crew members for a trip to Launch Pad 39-A and planned liftoff on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the Crew Dragon capsule on a six-month mission to the International Space Station Sunday, Nov. 15, 2020, at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Photos: SpaceX launches 2nd crew as regular station crew flights begin Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Soichi Noguchi waves to family members as he leaves the Operations and Checkout Building with fellow crew members for a trip to Launch Pad 39-A and planned liftoff on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the Crew Dragon capsule on a six-month mission to the International Space Station Sunday, Nov. 15, 2020, at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Photos: SpaceX launches 2nd crew as regular station crew flights begin Members of Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Soichi Noguchi pose for a photo as the astronauts leave the Operations and Checkout Building for a trip to Launch Pad 39-A and planned liftoff on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the Crew Dragon capsule on a six-month mission to the International Space Station Sunday, Nov. 15, 2020, at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Photos: SpaceX launches 2nd crew as regular station crew flights begin A SpaceX Falcon9 rocket, with the Crew Dragon capsule attached, lift's off from Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39-A Sunday Nov. 15, 2020, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. Four astronauts are beginning a mission to the international Space Station. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Photos: SpaceX launches 2nd crew as regular station crew flights begin A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the company's Crew Dragon spacecraft onboard is seen on the launch pad at Launch Complex 39A as preparations continue for the Crew-1 mission, Sunday, Nov. 15, 2020, at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. (Joel Kowsky/NASA via AP)
Photos: SpaceX launches 2nd crew as regular station crew flights begin NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine, Gwynne Shotwell, president and chief operating officer of SpaceX, and NASA Deputy Administrator Jim Morhard wave as NASA astronauts Mike Hopkins, Victor Glover, Shannon Walker, and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Soichi Noguchi, wearing SpaceX spacesuits, wave as they prepare to depart the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building for Launch Complex 39A to board the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft for the Crew-1 mission launch, Sunday, Nov. 15, 2020, at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. (Joel Kowsky/NASA via AP)
Photos: SpaceX launches 2nd crew as regular station crew flights begin NASA astronauts, from left, Shannon Walker, Victor Glover, and Michael Hopkins and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Soichi Noguchi leave the Operations and Checkout Building on their way to launch pad 39A for the SpaceX Crew-1 mission to the International Space Station at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Sunday, Nov. 15, 2020. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
The launch marks “the first full-fledge taxi flight for NASA by a private company,” the AP reported.
Here’s what you need to know about the launch and mission:
2. When did they reach the International Space Station?
The astronauts arrived at the International Space Station late Monday following a 27-hour journey, according to the Washington Post and the AP. There, they joined NASA astronaut Kate Rubins and two Russian astronauts, Sergey Ryzhikov and Sergey Kud-Sverchkov, for a six-month stay, the Post reported.
3. Elon Musk said he has a ‘likely’ case of COVID-19.
Because NASA requires people who test positive for COVID-19 to isolate, the SpaceX founder and CEO had “to monitor the action from afar,” according to the AP. SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell, who took Musk’s place at Kennedy Space Center on Sunday, said the tech magnate was “tied in very closely” to the latest developments, the news agency reported.
Musk, who has criticized coronavirus lockdowns and downplayed the virus' risks for several months, claimed late Thursday that he received two negative and two positive results after taking four rapid COVID-19 tests in one day, according to the Wall Street Journal. In another tweet on Saturday, he added that he “most likely” has “a moderate case.”
4. Vice President Mike Pence watched the launch in person.
The vice president and second lady Karen Pence watched the launch with NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, according to the AP and WFTV.
President Donald Trump and President-elect Joe Biden took to social media to comment on the launch.
5. The launch comes months after a test flight in May.
According to the New York Times, that’s when NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley traveled to the International Space Station aboard a SpaceX capsule called the Endeavour. They returned in early August.