Central Floridians across social media said they heard a sonic boom Friday morning as the crew of Ax-3 plummeted back to Earth.

Four astronauts from four countries are rocketing toward the International Space Station.

Launch set for Aug. 25 just before 4 a.m.

SpaceX and Axiom Space are reporting all systems are a go for the first private crew rocketing to the International Space Station Friday.

Environmentalists are raising some concerns about a proposed launch and landing site in Florida for Space X.

SpaceX has launched four astronauts to the International Space Station.

NASA officials said The Space X Crew Dragon capsule splashed down off the Florida coast at 10:33 p.m. on Monday.

Vanishing into the bad weather, it was tough Friday to see a Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon capsule still waiting to fly four astronauts to the International Space Station.

NASA and SpaceX are considering several options when it comes to the next crewed launch.

Weather downrange in Crew Dragon’s flight path is the reason SpaceX and NASA are now targeting Wednesday morning for launch.

SpaceX is resolving toilet spills in its capsules before it launches another crew for NASA.

The next crew of astronauts heading to the space station is set to arrive at Kennedy Space Center Tuesday ahead of this weekend’s launch.

NASA and SpaceX have set a launch date for the next Crew Dragon mission to the International Space Station.

After spending three days orbiting the Earth, SpaceX’s Inspiration4 crew returned to Earth after a splashdown off Florida's coast Saturday evening.

Usually, when NASA launches a spacecraft to the International Space Station, the launch window is instantaneous. If the weather or anything else isn’t good right at that very second, it doesn’t go.

This is the moment private companies like SpaceX have been working toward for nearly two decades.

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket and a special-edition Crew Dragon spacecraft has been rolled out and is now vertical on Kennedy Space Center’s launchpad ahead of the historic Inspiration4 launch scheduled for Wednesday.

Do you want to send your name to space?

The next four astronauts launching on a long-term mission to the ISS are possibly blasting off on Oct. 31.

Sunday marks one year since humans returned to space during the historic SpaceX Demo-2 launch.

Kayla Barron will serve as a mission specialist for her first spaceflight.

Four astronauts returned to Earth early Sunday splashing down in darkness off Florida’s Gulf Coast following a 6-month stay 200 miles above the planet.

The astronauts are set to undock from the ISS Wednesday and splashdown in the Atlantic Ocean or Gulf of Mexico.

A SpaceX spacecraft carrying four astronauts to the space station had a close call with a UFO.

There was no threat of space junk after all last week to a SpaceX crew on their way to the International Space Station.

It's gonna' get warm over the weekend.

A breakdown of the timeline on launch day which actually begins Wednesday night ahead of Thursday morning's liftoff.

SpaceX has launched its third crew in under a year for NASA, this time using a recycled rocket and capsule.

SpaceX is aiming for its third crew launch an hour before sunrise Friday.

Choose how you want to watch the Crew-2 launch from Cape Canaveral.

For Space Coast residents able to step outside and watch rockets tear through the sky, spaceflight might seem more routine than ever.

This move will free up the forward port for Crew Dragon Endeavour to arrive later this month.

NASA and SpaceX announced Thursday the launch date will move from April 20 to no earlier than Thursday, April 22. Also this week, Boeing and NASA announced they are evaluating a new launch date for the CST-100 Starliner spacecraft’s orbital test flight-2, or OFT-2. “Based on the current traffic at the space station, NASA does not anticipate that OFT-2 can be accomplished later in April. NASA and Boeing are working to find the earliest possible launch date,” the agency said. AdWhen it does launch, Starliner will dock at the ISS and return to Earth for its final test before NASA, hopefully, approves the spacecraft to fly astronauts.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. – The stakes are high, about 200 miles high, for fundraisers, YouTubers and creative space enthusiasts vying to be on board the first private trip to orbit Earth in a SpaceX Crew Dragon. The Inspiration 4 contest established by Jared Isaacman, the CEO of Shift4 Payment, will send four private citizens to low-Earth orbit later this year in the spacecraft. Interested space travelers could enter the competition by either donating to St. Jude or using Shift4Shop to share their business stories on social media. Brevard County launch photographer John Kraus, 21, threw his hat in the ring raising nearly $10,000 for St. Jude with his original photography. The four-person crew will launch from Kennedy Space Center’s launchpad 39A.

(Mike Brown/American Lebanese Syrian Associated Charities, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital via AP)CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – After beating bone cancer, Hayley Arceneaux figures rocketing into orbit on SpaceX’s first private flight should be a piece of cosmic cake. When she was 10, she had surgery at St. Jude to replace her knee and get a titanium rod in her left thigh bone. Isaacman announced his space mission Feb. 1, pledging to raise $200 million for St. Jude, half of that his own contribution. As the flight’s self-appointed commander, he offered one of the four SpaceX Dragon capsule seats to St. Jude. One will be a sweepstakes winner; anyone donating to St. Jude this month is eligible.

A 37-year-old businessman has bought four tickets to space with SpaceX and plans to take along three everyday people with him all while raising money for sick children. After the all-civilian spaceflight crew is announced, Isaacman plans to train with them, including some team bonding. “I am going to ensure that I introduce some very uncomfortable and stressful situations here on Earth long before we go up in space,” Isaacman said. Since NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley’s historic spaceflight, the Crew Dragon has now shuttled four other astronauts to the ISS with plans for two more astronaut launches this year for NASA and its international partners. Axios Space recently announced it has purchased a private spaceflight from SpaceX and four international businessmen will fly in Crew Dragon in early 2022.

Let’s take a look at just a few space milestones to be excited about in 2021. James Webb Space Telescope launchIn this photo from April 2015, NASA technicians lifted the James Webb Space Telescope using a crane and moved it inside a clean room at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. The James Webb Space Telescope is led by NASA with its partners, the European Space Agency and Canadian Space Agency. Artemis-1 launch from Kennedy Space CenterNASA¹s Space Launch System rocket will launch with Orion atop it from Launch Complex 39B at NASA's modernized spaceport at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. (NASA)NASA is in the final stages of testing its mega rocket known as the Space Launch System with the Orion spacecraft, now classified under the Artemis moon program.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. – Building on SpaceX’s first two successful flights to the International Space Station with astronauts, NASA has revealed the fourth round of people to fly commercial to the orbiting laboratory. Two NASA astronauts, Raja Chari and Tom Marshburn will be joined by European Space Agency astronaut Matthias Maurer for the Crew-3 mission in the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule. He was selected, along with 17 other NASA astronauts, to be among the first to step foot back on the lunar surface--hopefully in the next few years. Then in November, SpaceX again launched the Crew Dragon but this time with four astronauts-- three American and one Japanese. McArthur’s husband, Bob Behnken was on the first crewed test flight of Crew Dragon earlier this year.

MERRITT ISLAND, Fla. – ***11:16 p.m. Nov. 16, 2020 Update***SpaceX’s newly launched capsule with four astronauts has arrived at the International Space Station. The Dragon capsule pulled up and docked late Monday night, following a 27-hour, completely automated flight from Florida. ***Original***After a good night’s sleep for four astronauts -- three NASA and one JAXA --aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon in orbit, the crew will prepare to dock at the International Space Station late Monday. NASA and SpaceX have continued to stream live views from the space station and the Crew Dragon. The first return to human spaceflight from Kennedy Space Center happened in May with NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. – After a flawless launch from Kennedy Space Center sending four astronauts into orbit, private company SpaceX reported issues with the Crew Dragon spacecraft as it began its 27-hour journey to the space station. SpaceX launches astronauts for NASA and its international partners under the agency’s commercial crew program. SpaceX launches 4 astronauts on 6-month journey in space | Highlights from the SpaceX Crew-1 countdown, liftoff and Falcon 9 landing]“Teams are troubleshooting propellant heaters that heat the fuel aboard Crew Dragon,” NASA said in a tweet. A short while later, teams re-enabled the Crew Dragon’s propellant heaters and worked with the astronauts to correct the issue. Teams have re-enabled the Crew Dragon's propellant heaters and will continue collecting data.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. – Following the tradition of bringing a “gravity indicator” on their spaceflight to the International Space Station, the Crew-1 astronauts selected Baby Yoda for their journey in the SpaceX Dragon capsule. The four astronauts launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 in the Crew Dragon capsule called Resilience from Kennedy Space Center in Florida Sunday evening. On the first Crew Dragon flight to the space station without astronauts SpaceX sent an Earth-shaped stuffed animal called Earthy. Baby Yoda is already on a current wave of popularity but a visit to the International Space Station probably won’t hurt. Baby Yoda from the Disney+ show "Mandalorian" seen floating in the Crew Dragon spacecraft on Nov. 15, 2020.

The Dragon spacecraft nicknamed Resilience will arrive at the International Space Station about 27 hours after launch, around 11 p.m. Monday. The Dragon spacecraft launch escape system is armed. 4:58 p.m. Space fans ready to watch Falcon 9 launchPeople in Titusville at Space View park came out to watch the SpaceX Falcon 9 launch with four astronauts from Kennedy Space Center on Nov. 15, 2020. SpaceX suit technicians known as SpaceX ninjas, wearing all black, helped the astronauts get into the Crew Dragon spacecraft and into their seats. “We are fully booked tomorrow, too.”She said without the Crew-1 launch and the earlier SpaceX launch in May, her B&B might not have survived.

As the astronauts made their way outside the O&C building the national anthem was performed by country music artist Travis Tritt. This is the last time the astronauts will see their families in person for six months. 🚗Right on schedule, NASA's SpaceX Crew-1 crew is driving out to the launch pad. After a brief goodbye, the astronauts got into Teslas and began their 20-minute ride to the Falcon 9 rocket at Launch Complex 39A. News 6 and ClickOrlando.com will have complete coverage of the Crew-1 launch.

It is due to reach the space station late Monday and remain there until spring. Even the two astronauts on the first SpaceX crew flight stayed behind at Johnson Space Center in Houston. “I didn’t start breathing until about a minute after it took off,” Pence said during a stop at SpaceX Launch Control to congratulate the workers. The first-stage booster is expected to be recycled by SpaceX for the next crew launch. NASA turned to private companies to haul cargo and crew to the space station, after the shuttle fleet retired in 2011.

ORLANDO, Fla. – NASA and SpaceX will once again have to thread the needle for Sunday evening’s Crew-1 astronaut launch. An approaching cold front will bring increasing clouds and the threat of scattered downpours to the Space Coast. The 45th Weather Squadron downgraded the launch probability of Sunday’s launch from 60% go to 50%. Launch concerns SundayWeather pushed back the initial launch scheduled for Saturday evening. Wave heights as of Sunday morningThere will be a few stray showers earlier in the day Sunday if you’re planning on getting a good spot for the scheduled launch.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. – SpaceX and NASA are now targeting Sunday to launch four astronauts to the International Space Station from Kennedy Space Center due to weather concerns. NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine confirmed the 24-hour delay Friday afternoon, saying it was because of weather at sea and onshore winds. Should there be a launch abort, the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft would shuttle away for a splashdown in the Atlantic Ocean, carrying the astronaut crew to safety. There are certain weather criteria that must be met on land for the rocket to launch and at sea in the event of an abort. “For NASA this booster and SpaceX this booster is very important for us.

The SpaceX Falcon 9 launch with four astronauts in the Dragon spacecraft is scheduled for Sunday at 7:27 p.m. Drivers are not allowed to park on the shoulder of a limited access road, this includes State Road 528, unless it has been designated as parking. High traffic volume is expected on SR 528, US-1 and State Road A1A, before and after the launch. Drivers can use State Road 520 towards SR 50 for the north end or Nova Road towards the south end. State Road 528 was where most of the slowdowns were seen, after the first crewed launch in May was scrubbed.

Launch crew will arrive on console and the Dragon spacecraft will be configured for launch. 4:52 p.m. SpaceX teams will help the astronauts get into the Crew Dragon spacecraft and into their seats. The Dragon spacecraft launch escape system is armed. 7:26:30 p.m. SpaceX Launch Director verifies go for launch. 7:39 p.m. (+00:12:00 after liftoff): The Dragon spacecraft will separate from the rocket’s second stage 12 minutes after launch.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. – SpaceX is set to launch four astronauts to the International Space Station on Sunday from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. News 6 will have team coverage throughout the countdown offering a unique experience with multiple views of the launch and countdown. Pick your own view of the launch here from Port Canaveral, Jetty Park or live from Kennedy Space Center. To follow minute-by-minute updates from News 6 reporters at Kennedy Space Center, be sure to check ClickOrlando.com/space on launch day. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, NASA and SpaceX have asked launch viewers to remain socially distant and wear masks.

[RELATED: These 14 weather conditions would prevent SpaceX from launching the Falcon 9, Crew Dragon]NASA and SpaceX are closely watching the weather. “Teams will continue monitoring weather conditions for liftoff and along the flight path,” SpaceX said in a tweet. Ahead of Saturday’s launch, SpaceX performed a static test fire of their Falcon 9 rocket giving viewers a preview of what’s to come next. SpaceX, NASA moving ahead with #Crew1 launch plans for Saturday. Today, @Astro_illini, @AstroVicGlover, Shannon Walker and @Astro_Soichi participated in a countdown dress rehearsal of launch day events.

The astronaut crew named their space vehicle Resilience, fitting amid a global pandemic and a launch up against a hurricane. Four days out weather officers are giving the Saturday liftoff at 7:49 p.m. a 60% chance of favorable launch conditions. SpaceX, NASA moving ahead with #Crew1 launch plans for Saturday. This could present a challenge as NASA and SpaceX were planning a dress rehearsal of the launch on Thursday. “Teams will continue monitoring weather conditions for liftoff and along the flight path,” SpaceX said in a tweet.

ORLANDO, Fla. – As NASA and SpaceX prepare to launch four astronauts on the first Dragon spacecraft operational mission to the International Space Station, the space agency released the weather criteria that would prevent the Crew-1 mission from launching. This comes after the historic first crewed launch of the Dragon spacecraft earlier this year with NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley. SpaceX became the first private company to fly astronauts to orbit. Weather officers will be monitoring both launch and landing conditions throughout the countdown for certain criteria that would cause the launch to be scrubbed for the safety of the astronauts. Below are 14 weather conditions that would prevent the launch from happening.

Another milestone for SpaceX was also announced Tuesday as NASA has officially given the Crew Dragon spacecraft human flight certification. I’m extremely proud to say we are returning regular human spaceflight launches to American soil on an American rocket and spacecraft. A test flight in May with two NASA astronauts to the space station marked the first astronaut launch from Florida since 2011. DRAGON GETS FINAL NASA APPROVALSpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft for the Crew-1 mission arrives at Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39A on Friday, Nov. 6, 2020. In addition to now flying astronauts, SpaceX has been making supply runs to the ISS for NASA for seven years.

The first astronaut launch from American soil happened earlier this summer despite the afternoon storms Florida is known for -- including a tornado warning -- and this time around as SpaceX prepares to launch its second-ever group of astronauts to the space station, launch teams are up against Tropical Storm Eta. [ MORE COVERAGE : Dragon riders: Meet the next astronauts to launch from Florida with SpaceX | SpaceX launches astronauts into orbit, returning human spaceflight to Florida]SpaceX launches astronauts for NASA and its international partners, under the commercial crew program, using its Falcon 9 rocket and the Crew Dragon spacecraft. The astronaut crew have named this space vehicle Resilience, fitting for the trying times amid a global pandemic. pic.twitter.com/CduCZrsJPr — Troy Bridges (@TroyNews6) November 9, 2020Brevard County, home to KSC, remains in the cone of uncertainty for Tropical Storm Eta, which is near the Florida Keys Monday and forecast to continue meandering in the eastern Gulf of Mexico through Friday. When the four astronauts do launch, they will travel to the International Space Station and spend up to six months living and working in space.

The second-ever crewed launch of the private spacecraft will mark the first operation mission to the International Space Station for Dragon. NASA Astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken launched on the first Dragon test flight with astronauts to the space station in May and successfully splashed down in August, becoming the first Dragon riders and NASA astronauts to launch from American soil since 2011. Meet the international crew set to become the second round of Dragon riders below:Mike Hopkins, Dragon commanderIn October 2013, aboard International Space Station Expedition 37 Flight Engineer Michael Hopkins prepares the Fluids Integrated Rack for an experiment. “I think you, if you want to be a leader in space, we need to be able to launch our own astronauts into space,” Hopkins said. Victor Glover, Dragon pilotNASA Astronaut Victor Glover during EVA training in 2014.

PORT CANAVERAL, Fla. Looking a little toasty after a historic splashdown on the Gulf Coast, SpaceXs astronaut spacecraft will arrive back at Cape Canaveral on Friday afternoon. The Crew Dragon spacecraft nicknamed Endeavour is set to arrive by boat coming into Port Canaveral sometime around 5 p.m. News 6 will be there as the boat called Go Navigator makes its way into Port with the capsule. Behnken said next, before the parachutes deployed slowing the spacecraft from 350 mph to about 15 mph for splashdown, they could feel Crew Dragon maneuver itself for re-entry using its thrusters. Once the spacecraft is back at Cape Canaveral, the work begins to determine if NASA can issue the final flight certification for Dragon. Another astronaut crew, with three NASA astronauts and one Japanses astronaut, are set to launch on another Crew Dragon spacecraft in late September.

NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken will talk about their historic return home from the International Space Station on Tuesday for the first time since their SpaceX spacecraft splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico over the weekend. Hurley and Behnken launched on the SpaceX Dragon capsule, nicknamed Endeavour, from Kennedy Space Center on May 30, arriving on the International Space Station the next day. After more than two months in space, the duo journeyed back to Earth in the SpaceX spacecraft in about 19 hours. It was the first spacecraft splashdown in 45 years. The launch, docking and splashdown marked the final test flight for SpaceXs astronaut capsule before NASA can issue a certification for regular flights for its astronauts.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. The SpaceX spacecraft that made history after successfully completing its first flight with two NASA astronauts is not done yet, it will be refurbished and reflown again. NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken arrived safely home Sunday in their Dragon spacecraft nicknamed Endeavour, splashing down off Floridas west coast in the first splashdown since the Apollo program. The Crew Dragon spacecraft was designed to fly on five to 10 missions with maintenance between spaceflights. The next group set to fly on Dragon Endeavour is made up of two NASA astronauts: a Japanese astronaut and a European astronaut. A different Crew Dragon spacecraft is slated to launch four crew -- three Americans and one Japanese astronauts -- in late September.

SpaceX returned two NASA astronauts to Earth Sunday in a dramatic splashdown avoiding a tropical storm and safely returning the pair known as the “space dads” home. The splashdown marked the first by NASA astronauts in 45 years and the first with a commercial spacecraft. SpaceX Dragon capsule being pulled onto the Go Navigator recovery boat in the Gulf of Mexico on Aug. 2, 2020. Private vessels in the splashdown area were told to leave as they attempted to approach the SpaceX spacecraft. After being the last to leave the capsule, Hurley thanked everyone involved in the mission.

(Bill Ingalls/NASA via AP)NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken successfully returned to Earth for the first splashdown in 45 years Sunday in their SpaceX Dragon Endeavour spacecraft. The splashdown went as planned and landed into calm seas at 2:48 p.m.Welcome back to Earth and thanks for flying SpaceX, mission control told the astronauts. The milestone completed the SpaceX Demo-2 test mission for Dragon, the first test flight with astronauts to the International Space Station. Heres a timeline of the events prior to and after splashdown:1:51 p.m. Crew Dragon performs claw separation. 2:32 p.m. Crew Dragon maneuvers to attitude for re-entry: Dragon experiences significant heating and drag as it re-enters Earths atmosphere, which slows the velocity to the point of safe parachute deploy.

The astronaut pair were the first to launch on the SpaceX spacecraft from Kennedy Space Center on May 30 to the International Space Station, marking the first human spaceflight from U.S. soil since 2011. About a dozen private vessels in the splashdown area were told to leave as they attempted to approach the SpaceX spacecraft. Outside of those vessels Coast Guard boats should be the only other ones in the area for 10 miles. On Sunday, the private boats could be seen surrounding the recovery effort on the NASA livestream. The lesson learned here is we probably need more Coast Guard assets, maybe some more SpaceX and NASA assets as well, Shotwell said.

ORLANDO, Fla. – Potential 60 mph wind gusts won’t bode well for a SpaceX spacecraft splashdown planned for this Sunday if the current track of a potential tropical storm holds but NASA officials say the plan to return the astronauts this weekend is still on. SpaceX and NASA teams will be looking at wind speed, wave height, rain, lightning and helicopter operational limits. Seven potential Crew Dragon landing sites. “The NASA team and the SpaceX team remain ‘go’ for return,” NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said opening up the media briefing after the FRR. NASA and SpaceX will make the final decision Saturday after the astronauts are inside the capsule just before undocking from the space station.

ORLANDO, Fla. Two NASA astronauts are preparing to become the first to complete their spaceflight on SpaceXs new Dragon spacecraft nicknamed Endeavour but Hurricane Isaias may foil those plans. Unfazed by the weather woes, NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken told reporters Friday if their planned splashdown off Floridas coast in Dragon Endeavour gets delayed they have plenty of chow and work to do on the International Space Station. NASA and SpaceX officials said there are no issues following a flight readiness review earlier in the week. Theres more chow and I know the space station programs got more work that we can do for those (principal investigators) and other folks that have sent science up here to the space station, Behnken said. Behnkens wife NASA astronaut Megan McArthur will fly on the same Dragon Endeavour spacecraft next year.

(NASA via AP)Next, if the splashdown and return home happens on time, three NASA astronauts and a Japanese astronaut will launch on another Crew Dragon spacecraft from Kennedy Space Center. Later NASA added two more crew members, NASA astronaut Shannon Walker and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Soichi Noguchi. [DRAGON COVERAGE: Have what it takes to fly Crew Dragon? This will be known as Crew-2, the second operational mission to the ISS for the SpaceX astronaut spacecraft. She flew on one space shuttle mission, the fifth and final repair mission for the Hubble Space Telescope.

They were the first to hitch a ride to the International Space Station on Falcon 9 and Crew Dragon. SpaceX and NASA are targeting September for the next launch of Dragon with astronauts from Kennedy Space Center. On Friday, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said SpaceX and NASA are targeting Aug. 1 for a departure of the Crew Dragon spacecraft, named Endeavour by its passengers, and a splashdown in the Atlantic Ocean on Aug. 2. NASA has paid the Russian space agency about $84 million a seat to fly its astronauts to and from the International Space Station. SpaceX and Boeing were selected in 2014 to develop American-made spacecraft to take over transporting NASA astronauts to space.

After becoming the first NASA astronauts to launch from Florida in nine years, astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley are reflecting on how flying in their previous spaceship, the space shuttle compares to their new ride built by SpaceX’s the Crew Dragon spacecraft. (Image: Greg Scott) (WKMG 2020)Both Hurley and Behnken said launching on Falcon 9 was very different than the space shuttle. [MORE COVERAGE: Sparkling dinosaur makes journey with NASA astronauts to International Space Station]How’s the bathroom situation? Image above of space shuttle toilet on display at Johnson Space Center in Houston. On Sunday, the astronauts could see the bright light of Crew Dragon as it began to approach.

Two NASA astronauts who arrived at the International Space Station Sunday morning in their new SpaceX spacecraft brought with them a reminder of their young sons who they will spend up to four months without seeing in person. NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken brought along a little stuffed dinosaur after the toy was selected by their 6 and 10-year-old sons to join them on the journey. Tremor was going to join Earthy, a plush globe delivered to the space station on last year’s test flight of a crew-less crew Dragon. "We plan once we get on board the space station to reunite Tremor with Earthy (and) plan to bring both of them back to Earth," Behnken said. NASA Astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley brought along a stuffed dinosaur from their sons for their trip to the space station.

News 6 hosted a special viewing party for viewers to watch the historic launch from Kennedy Space Center. The launch from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A marked the first time U.S. astronauts lifted off from Florida’s Coast in nine years and the first time a private company. After launch, Behnken and Hurley are bound for the International Space Station where they will spend one to four months before returning to Earth. MORE: Crew Dragon Endeavour successfully docks with International Space Station | SpaceX CEO Elon Musk officially launched humans to space -- here’s what he’s planning next

After launching from Kennedy Space Center Saturday, the astronauts had about 19 hours in the spacecraft before reaching their destination. Prior to launch, Hurley and Behnken said they didnt know how the restroom situation was because they didnt have the experience with it to say. [MORE COVERAGE: How Crew Dragon compares to flying on space shuttle from the first NASA astronauts to do both | How the astronauts sons are coping with their dads in space]Lets see the toilet. NASA: The toilet on the orbiting space station is even more antiquated ((Image: NASA))Its done just absolutely spectacularly, you know, its a very clean vehicle, Hurley said. The fascination with what the astronauts eat and the Dragon commode might speak to everyone because we all eat and we all, you know.

Astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley have joined American Chris Cassidy and two Russian cosmonauts on the International Space Station. Later on in the week youll have a chance to see the bright dot, also known as the ISS, zip across the night sky. Friday and Saturday will be the best times, weather permitting, to see the ISS flyover Central Florida. Saturday no doubt offers the best time to see the ISS pass by weather permitting. Saturday presents the best opportunity to see the ISS weather permitting.

The first attempt to launch NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley was scrubbed Wednesday due to weather. Veteran NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley are the lone passengers onboard the Crew Dragon spacecraft. As part of NASA’s commercial crew program, the U.S. space agency selected SpaceX and Boeing to develop spacecraft to fly NASA astronauts. Crew Dragon hatch closesSpaceX teams have closed the hatch to the Crew Dragon capsule at Launch Complex 39A. Webcast will go live at ~11:00 a.m. EDT → https://t.co/bJFjLCilmc pic.twitter.com/AXDGNfqv0K — SpaceX (@SpaceX) May 30, 20207:40 a.m.

News 6 is giving you a view of SpaceX’s Crew Dragon launch from just about every angle. Saturday is SpaceX’s second try as the private company and NASA work to usher in a new age of space travel with the Demo-2 launch. NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley are set to take off at 3:22 p.m., weather willing. [READ MORE | Live launch updates: SpaceX set to launch NASA astronauts on Crew Dragon | Timeline: Here’s what NASA astronauts are doing on launch day]If Behnken and Hurley take off, it will mark the first time in nine years NASA astronauts will lift off from the Space Coast. SpaceX and weather officers are also closely watching the launch forecast and conditions in the Atlantic Ocean for recovery conditions in case of a launch abort.

SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk celebrates inside the Kennedy Space Center Vehicle Assembly Building after his company successfully launched NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley to orbit on May 30, 2020. Behnken and Hurley are veteran astronauts, with 1,400 spaceflight hours between them. During live commentary of the launch SpaceX engineer Lauren Lyons said the astronauts are known as the dads by their team. [MORE COVERAGE: NASA astronauts wave goodbye to families in 2nd attempt to launch SpaceX Crew Dragon]The launch marks the beginning of a new era in U.S. human spaceflight, one shouldered by NASA and commercial companies like SpaceX instead of by the American taxpayer alone. Welcome aboard the @SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft!

Before launch and the 19-hour journey to the International Space Station once in orbit, NASA Astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley have a long day of getting ready for their spaceflight. Heres a timeline of what the astronauts will be doing on launch day:8 a.m. According to Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana the astronauts can request anything they want on launch day. [ASTRONAUTS WAITING ON RIDE: Heres what NASA astronauts are doing between launch attempts]12:07 p.m. The Crew Dragon launch escape system is armed, this would send the capsule away if there is a problem at any point prior to launch.

If it goes off as planned, this will mark the first mission involving astronauts from U.S. soil since 2011. Still, NASA astronaut Bob Behnken has said he and Doug Hurley are “really comfortable” with the risks. So you’re making educated guesses, at best.”It seems there’s just more uncharted territory when it comes to space travel. “The first astronauts really started out as test pilots,” Garfinkle said. But assuming this launch goes well, “It would be great for kids to see a successful, triumphant moment of science,” Fink said.

SpaceX and NASA teams conducted a flight readiness review Friday ahead of a second attempt. On the technical side, things look good, as Falcon 9 and Crew Dragon are healthy and ready for launch, NASA officials said. SpaceX and NASA launch teams will hear the latest weather projections from the U.S. Air Force 45th Weather Squadron on Saturday morning before making the call to launch. [MORE COVERAGE: Where to watch SpaceX Crew Dragon launch on the Space Coast]Bridenstine stressed Friday, the launch will happen when everything aligns. When it does happen, the liftoff will mark the first time since 2011 that NASA astronauts have launched from Florida.

A launch time is the ideal time to start a mission to get the spacecraft into the correct orbit and the launch window can be instantaneous or last a few hours, according to NASA. The longer the launch window, the higher the potential for using more fuel as the vehicle would need to adjust to get back on track. NASA says the launch window is influenced by many factors, like where the spacecraft is going (the International Space Station, for example), the type of rocket and the goals of the mission. [WATCH BELOW: Digital Journalist Emilee Speck explains how SpaceX chose its launch time][RELATED: What happens if NASA astronauts need to abort?] Wednesday’s launch window was instantaneous -- it was either launch on time or not at all that day, but we won’t have to wait long for the next attempt.

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. – Despite inclement weather in Brevard County, NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley arrived to Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39A suited up and ready for lift-off. The two boarded SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule around 1:45 p.m. Wednesday afternoon, about three hours before the Falcon 9 was scheduled to launch. Behnken and Hurley are the two test pilots tasked with landing the Crew Dragon capsule on the International Space Station. The mission marking the first time the space agency is collaborating with a private company to send humans into orbit. Wednesday’s launch was scrubbed moments before lift-off, so it will be take two for Behnken and Hurley Saturday.

ORLANDO, Fla. – Returning human spaceflight to the U.S. is monumental for all involved, but particularly touching for the families waving goodbye to NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley. Before the two astronauts drove off to Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A, their preparations for lift-off included a heartfelt moment. She was part of the final repair mission for the Hubble Space Telescope and has flown on one space shuttle mission. Astronauts say good-bye to families in touching moment (Copyright 2020 by WKMG ClickOrlando - All rights reserved.) After their heartfelt goodbye, the astronauts drove off in Teslas board SpaceX’s Crew Dragon space capsule.

Wednesday will usher in a new age of space travel as SpaceX’s Demo-2 launch with NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley takes off. MORE: Live launch day updates: SpaceX prepares to launch NASA astronauts from Kennedy Space CenterThe launch is scheduled for 4:33 p.m. and there are many ways to watch. Take a look around, listen in to the spectators joining you and experience the thrill of the space coast as it does what it does best -- launch rockets. Weather officers with the 45th Weather Squadron have reduced the chances of good launch conditions to 50% and that is only the launch forecast. SpaceX and weather officers are also closely watching conditions in the Atlantic Ocean for recovery conditions in case of a launch abort.

He later became an Air Force test pilot and served as the lead flight test engineer for the 4th F-22. Like Hurley, Behnken was also part of the 2000 NASA astronaut class, where he met his now wife NASA astronaut Megan McArthur. “It’s almost like a home away from home, its great to be back.”[MORE COVERAGE: Forecast for SpaceX’s first astronaut launch aligns with typical wet Florida afternoon | America’s first astronaut launch in 9 years: How did we get here?] The pair have trained extensively at SpaceX’s headquarters in Hawthorne, California and at NASA’s John Space Center to prepare for the Demo-2 test flight. https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)A week ahead of the historic launch, Hurley said he was excited to put all that training toward testing Crew Dragon on its first spaceflight.

(AP Photo/David J. Phillip)CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Stormy weather is threatening to delay SpaceX’s first astronaut launch. It will be the first time astronauts launch from Florida in nine years and a first for a private company. “We're continuing to be vigilant and careful and make sure we do this right.”Forecasters put the odds of acceptable launch weather at 40%. Hans Koenigsmann, a vice president for SpaceX, said the launch control team will incorporate global weather patterns and models to determine whether it's safe to launch. “If the weather gods are working with us," he said, liftoff will occur at 4:33 p.m. SpaceX has a split-second launch window.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. – When the Crew Dragon capsule goes up, it must come down in the water. If there's a launch abort, in-flight abort, or even in-orbit abort, Crew Dragon will come down in the water. The flight path after launch of Dragon Crew takes it up the eastern seaboard, over the Atlantic Ocean, and even over Ireland before it reaches orbit. Thompson said the boats will be dropped from C-130 or C-17 military cargo planes in the event of an abort. Maj. Chris Hearne, 45th Operations Group mission support division chief, said para-rescuers discovered during training with a mock-up that Crew Dragon floats upright.

(SpaceX via AP)CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – It’s back to the future as NASA astronauts launch again from the U.S. — aboard a retro-style “Right Stuff” capsule. SpaceX’s Dragon crew capsule outshines NASA’s old Apollo spacecraft in virtually every way. This fresh take on a vintage look will be on full display Wednesday when SpaceX plans to launch NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken to the International Space Station — a first for a private company. Russia’s workhorse Soyuz capsules, still in use after a half-century plus, have kept NASA astronauts flying to the space station. A test dummy soloed on last year’s Dragon crew capsule debut.

However, on May 27, with two astronauts on board the Crew Dragon capsule, sea state will be critical again for the first time in 9 years. Crew Dragon can only touch down in water, at the end of the mission but also anytime in case of a mission abort. NASA's Crew Dragon weather launch criteria calls for a no-go "if downrange weather indicates violation of limits at splashdown in case of Dragon launch escape" and "if downrange weather shows high probability of violating limits at splashdown in case of Dragon launch escape." [RELATED: Here are 14 weather reasons SpaceX would not launch the Falcon 9 Crew Dragon]“I would expect there to be a very high chance of scrub due to the weather,” Reed said. NASA echoes that in its launch weather criteria: "Probability of violation is calculated for each location including limit conditions for wind, waves, lightning, and precipitation."

Chance of weather scrub on Crew Dragon astronaut launch day ‘very high,’ SpaceX officials sayPublished: May 20, 2020, 7:44 pmFor the first time since 2011, NASA is worried about smooth seas.

The two veteran space travelers will be nestled in a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. “I think we have a different perspective of the importance of coming to Florida launching again on an American rocket,” Behnken recently said. Now to Crew Dragon. The Dragon space capsule is just as innovative as the Falcon 9 rocket and also not infallible. In March of 2019, Crew Dragon made its first successful flight to the ISS and returned safely to Earth.

COCOA BEACH, Fla. – Brevard County government officials expects roads, parking lots and beaches to be packed on May 27 when NASA and SpaceX plan to launch two astronauts on Florida’s first human spaceflight mission in nine years. "Knowing it's a historic event, we realize there's going to be a lot of folks coming here," Brevard County Communications Director Don Walker said. "The sanitation practices are in place and being used and everybody has that peace of mind that they're coming to a safe environment to watch a historic event," Cocoa Beach Pier General Manager Andrew Spinner said. The pier and county are each advising guests who do choose to travel to watch the launch to be safe and also patient. “It may be a time-specific launch, but it’s going to be an all-day event, total congestion and gridlock,” Walker said.

The Go Searcher vessel was practicing recovering the Crew Dragon capsule when its crew pulled a man from the ocean around 1 p.m., according to the Port Authority. The spacecraft will land in the Atlantic after returning from space or in the event of a launch abort. Go Searcher and its crew rescued the 54-year-old man and transferred him to a Coast Guard Port Canaveral boat. The man was wearing a life jacket and in good condition, according to the Coast Guard. SpaceX lands its boosters at sea or on land after most launches and then flies them again.

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. – NASA has added two astronauts to the crew manifest of SpaceX's first operational mission to the International Space Station, a flight slated to launch only after the company demonstrates the capsule's ability to safely take crews to orbit. NASA astronaut Shannon Walker, a former 163-day resident of the ISS in 2010, will fly with previously selected astronauts Mike Hopkins and Victor Glover on Crew Dragon’s first operational flight, according to News 6 news partner Florida Today. But to clear the way for the four-person crew to fly, SpaceX must first demonstrate Crew Dragon's safety with Demo-2, its test mission with astronauts. The company in 2019 launched the capsule on an automated test flight to the ISS, which saw a successful launch, docking, departure, and splashdown off the Florida coast. Astronauts Bob Behnken and Dough Hurley will fly on that test mission to the ISS, tentatively slated for mid-to-late May.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft will deliver supplies to NASA’s spacecraft orbiting the moon part of the U.S. space agency’s goal to return astronauts to the lunar surface by 2024. NASA announced Friday it had awarded a firm-fixed-price indefinite contract to SpaceX for a maximum of $7 billion for at least two missions to NASA’s lunar Gateway. The SpaceX cargo Dragon spacecraft already delivers supplies to the International Space Station and a Crew Dragon spacecraft will soon begin launching astronauts to the ISS as soon as mid-May. While SpaceX is the first contractor selected to make supply runs to Gateway NASA plans to accept additional bids from other service providers. Prior to any visits from a Dragon spacecraft, NASA must assemble the Gateway in space.

ORLANDO, Fla. – From a historic lap around the Daytona International Speedway to one company’s plan to launch humans to space from U.S. soil, this week’s episode of News 6/360 covers a few topics every Central Floridian should know about. And yes, it has everything to do with President Donald Trump’s visit, including his warmup lap around the track. After taking a look at that historic ride, News 6/360 explores plans for another one -- this time, to space. [iPHONE AND APP USERS: Click here for the best viewing experience]New to News 6/360? It’s a first-of-its-kind show that immerses viewers in a 360-degree environment with impressive visuals to creatively tell the stories that are trending in Central Florida and beyond.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The first SpaceX spacecraft to carry humans arrived at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Friday ahead of its historic flight later this year. NASA Astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley will be on the first ever crewed flight of a Crew Dragon atop a Falcon 9 rocket launching from Launchpad 39A at KSC. [RELATED: Video shows what NASA astronauts will experience during SpaceX’s Crew Dragon launch]The launch, expected in the first half of 2020, will mark the first time humans have launched from U.S. soil since 2011. On Friday, NASA initially declared SpaceX the unofficial winner calling the Crew Dragon the first to fly humans ahead of NASA’s other commercial crew partner, Boeing. NASA later deleted that tweet and updated its news release to remove that phrase.

RELATED: SpaceX in-flight abort test set for Sunday if weather allowsThe in-flight abort test is the final step SpaceX must take to certify its spacecraft to fly NASA astronauts, possibly later this year. Spectators along with our space experts Emilee Speck and James Sparvero captured the rare sight and shared their pictures on social media. Teams are continuing to monitor weather; Falcon 9 and Dragon remain healthy for today's test pic.twitter.com/lPWg9roQJh — SpaceX (@SpaceX) January 19, 2020FYI Central Florida: Today's launch will not look like others. SpaceX in-flight abort test looking gooood pic.twitter.com/I8qwrU6hYq — Jackie Wattles (@jackiewattles) January 19, 2020Radar catches some really cool stuff besides rain. pic.twitter.com/V1C2Xfd9Mk — SpaceX (@SpaceX) January 19, 2020Saw a puff of flame and then this plume appeared off the coast.

If you need help with the Public File, call 407-291-6000. Copyright © 2020 ClickOrlando.com is managed by Graham Digital and pubished by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings.

SpaceX, Boeing show latest progress in Commercial Crew programPublished: January 9, 2020, 5:59 pmThe first rocket at launch pad 39a since last summer has a huge mission this month - the in-flight abort of SpaceX's Crew Dragon.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. – To hold space fans over until the first Crew Dragon spaceflight with astronauts on board, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk shared a video this week showing what the NASA astronauts will experience as they blast off into space on a Falcon 9 rocket. The last time NASA astronauts launched from U.S. soil was in 2011. SpaceX’s Crew Dragon had a successful test flight -- sans astronauts -- in March to the International Space Station and the company is planning a launch abort test in January. Following an extensive review of the data from that test, SpaceX will next launch NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken on the first crewed test flight to the ISS. NASA astronauts Nicole Mann and Mike Fincke, along with NASA astronaut turned Boeing pilot Chris Ferguson will be on board that flight.

SpaceX conducts critical Crew Dragon testPublished: November 13, 2019, 6:38 pmWhite smoke dissipating above Cape Canaveral Air Force Station was the only indication Wednesday afternoon that SpaceX was testing its astronaut capsule Crew Dragon ahead of a critical launch abort test.