PHOTO GALLERY: Stunning Images From SpaceX’s Historic Launch From Kennedy Space Center

By  //  March 2, 2019

Space Coast Makes History Again

ABOVE VIDEO: Highlights from the SpaceX’s historic Demo-1 Crew Dragon Test Flight from Kennedy Space Center.

BREVARD COUNTY • KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLORIDA –SpaceX successfully launched Crew Dragon’s first demonstration mission Saturday morning from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Launch occurred at 2:49 a.m. ET on March 2.

It was the first time in history a commercially-built and operated American crew spacecraft and rocket launched from American soil.

The Demo-1 mission, SpaceX’s inaugural flight with NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, will provide the teams an end-to-end flight test to ensure the spacecraft and systems operate as designed before launching with astronauts.

This test flight without crew on board the spacecraft is intended to demonstrate SpaceX’s capabilities to safely and reliably fly astronauts to and from the International Space Station as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.

Following stage separation, SpaceX landed Falcon 9’s first stage on the “Of Course I Still Love You” droneship, which was stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.

LAUNCH HIGHLIGHTS: SpaceX Makes History With Launch of First Uncrewed Commercial Test FlightRelated Story:
LAUNCH HIGHLIGHTS: SpaceX Makes History With Launch of First Uncrewed Commercial Test Flight

PHOTO GALLERY*

*Click Image To Enlarge

NASA astronaut Eric Boe, assistant to the chief of the astronaut office for commercial crew, left, and Norm Knight, deputy director of flight operations at NASA’s Johnson Space Center watch the launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the company’s Crew Dragon spacecraft on the Demo-1 mission from firing room four of the Launch Control Center, Saturday, March 2, 2019 at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Demo-1 mission will be the first launch of a commercially built and operated American spacecraft and space system designed for humans as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. The mission will serve as an end-to-end test of the system’s capabilities. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)
SpaceX CEO and Chief Designer Elon Musk, left, speaks with NASA astronaut Bob Behnken on the fixed service structure of Launch Complex 39A during a tour before the early Saturday morning launch of the Demo-1 mission, Friday, March 1, 2019 at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Demo-1 mission launched at 2:49am ET on Saturday, March 2 and was the first launch of a commercially built and operated American spacecraft and space system designed for humans as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. The mission will serve as an end-to-end test of the system’s capabilities. Behnken and fellow NASA astronaut Doug Hurley are assigned to fly onboard Crew Dragon for the Demo-2 mission. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)
SpaceX CEO and Chief Designer Elon Musk, left, speaks with NASA astronaut Bob Behnken on the fixed service structure of Launch Complex 39A during a tour before the early Saturday morning launch of the Demo-1 mission, Friday, March 1, 2019 at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Demo-1 mission launched at 2:49am ET on Saturday, March 2 and was the first launch of a commercially built and operated American spacecraft and space system designed for humans as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. The mission will serve as an end-to-end test of the system’s capabilities. Behnken and fellow NASA astronaut Doug Hurley are assigned to fly onboard Crew Dragon for the Demo-2 mission. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)
Launch occurred at 2:49 a.m. ET on March 2. (SpaceX Image)
(SpaceX Image)
The launch is the first time in history a commercially-built and operated American crew spacecraft and rocket launched from American soil. (SpaceX Image)
SpaceX successfully launched Crew Dragon’s first demonstration mission Saturday morning from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. (SpaceX Image)
The Demo-1 mission, SpaceX’s inaugural flight with NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, will provide the teams an end-to-end flight test to ensure the spacecraft and systems operate as designed before launching with astronauts. (SpaceX Image)
Following stage separation, SpaceX landed Falcon 9’s first stage on the “Of Course I Still Love You” droneship, which was stationed in the Atlantic Ocean. (SpaceX Image)

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