In less than two ours, the US will launch its first manned space flight from its own soil in a decade. The launch will not only be historic in that it marks a return to space flight, but it is also the first private industry space flight in the world, via Elon Musk’s Spacex. Piloting the Dragon Crew capsule are Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley, both veteran NASA astronauts.
Should all go well, the rocket will take off shortly after 4:30 PM EST today, taking Bob and Doug to the International Space Station. Meanwhile, the launch rocket upon which the Dragon Crew Capsule is set should return back to earth where it will and on a barge for eventual re-use.
This new era in space flight features a dramatic decrease in cost and materials. That means the potential for frequent trips, even weekly according to some experts, could now be a possibility.
On a side note, one person watching today’s launch more than most Americans is Tom Cruise. The actor and his Edge of Tomorrow director Doug Liman, have partnered with NASA and Elon Musk to film the world’s first action film in space. If today’s mission is deemed a success, Cruise moves that much closer to being the first Astronaut action star.
There are two feeds for you to check out below. The top feed is NASA’s live coverage of the launch and the bottom feed is from Spacex.