SpaceX Launches Crewed Falcon Vehicle for 6-Month ISS Mission

Washington, Jan 10 (KUNA) -- SpaceX launched a Falcon rocket today, Thursday, carrying four astronauts to carry out a mission for the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) at the International Space Station (ISS), which is expected to last six months. The flight, led by American astronaut Jessica Watkins and her crew consisting of an American, a Canadian, and a Russian, lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida after a three-week delay to fix a fuel system anomaly. Although the astronauts’ stay at the ISS will continue until next spring, the journey there was the fastest ever for SpaceX, owned by Elon Musk, as it is expected to take only eight hours. The current crew will replace four other astronauts who have been living in the orbital laboratory since February. This mission marks the 13th time SpaceX has launched a crew for NASA, excluding a test flight in 2020. The four astronauts have adopted the designation “Crew-13,” with their mission patch paying tribute to Apollo 13, whose 1970 moon mission was fraught with danger but ended with their safe return to Earth. (End) R.S.R. / M.A.A.