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NASA successfully launched four astronauts traveling to the International Space Station early Wednesday aboard a SpaceX rocket called the Freedom.
The spaceX Crew-4 astronauts’ mission took off before dawn at 3:52 a.m. ET from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It should arrive at the ISS at 20:15 ET.
During their 16-hour flight, the crew will orbit the Earth about 10 times, according to SpaceX.
The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket took off from the 39-A launch complex on Wednesday, April 27, 2022, at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida (AP Photo / Chris O’Meara)
FIRST PRIVATE TEAM OF ASTRONAUTS ON BOARD TO SPACE PLANE
The SpaceX Falcon rocket is located at Launch Complex 39A, Tuesday, April 26, 2022, at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida (AP Photo / Chris O’Meara)
There are three NASA astronauts aboard the spacecraft, including mission commander Kel Lindgren, pilot Bob Hines and mission specialist Jessica Watkins and European Space Agency mission specialist Samantha Christophoretti, NASA said.
NASA’s mission is the first with an equal number of men and women and the first long-term flight with a black woman Jessica Watkins.
SpaceX Crew-4 astronauts, left, pilot Bob Hines, mission specialist Jessica Watkins, Commander Kel Lindgren and European Space Agency astronaut Samantha Christophoretti of Italy wave as they leave the operations and inspection building for the launch complex 39- Wednesday , April 27, 2022, at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida (AP Photo / John Raoux)
The crew will spend five months on the ISS, replacing three Americans and a German who will return to Earth in a week. Three Russians also live on the space station.
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SpaceX Crew-4 astronauts, left, mission specialist Jessica Watkins, pilot Bob Hines, Commander Kel Lindgren and mission specialist, European Space Agency astronaut Samantha Christophoretti of Italy, reunite after leaving the Operations and Inspection Building to Launch Complex 39-A Wednesday, April 27, 2022, at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida (AP Photo / John Raoux)
The crew is the fourth to fly the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft and the Falcon 9 rocket, according to NASA. This is SpaceX’s fifth flight with NASA astronauts.
The mission was postponed until last weekend, as the descent of another mission was delayed due to rough seas, according to Space.com.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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