SpaceX Launches Crew Following NASA and Russian Space Chiefs' Meeting
By : Krishna Mishra
A SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule carrying four astronauts from the United States, Japan, and Russia successfully launched to the International Space Station (ISS) on Friday, marking the beginning of a six-month mission in orbit for NASA.
The Falcon 9 rocket lifted off at 11:44 a.m. local time from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Onboard were NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, Japan’s Kimiya Yui from JAXA, and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platonov from Roscosmos.
Originally scheduled for Thursday, the launch was delayed due to unfavorable weather conditions. The crew is traveling aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon Endeavour, now making its sixth flight since its debut in 2020. Though initially certified for five missions, NASA is working closely with SpaceX to extend the spacecraft’s certification to 15 missions.
“We’ve been recertifying Dragon with SpaceX to ensure safety and reliability for extended use,” said Steve Stich, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program manager.
The launch follows a significant meeting between NASA’s acting administrator, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, and Roscosmos chief Dmitry Bakanov at the Kennedy Space Center. This marked the first in-person meeting between NASA and Roscosmos leadership since 2018 and signaled a renewed commitment to international collaboration in space. Bakanov also toured SpaceX facilities during his visit.