Marcia Dunn, Associated Press
updated on May 27, 2020 | 4:25 PM
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) The launch of a SpaceX rocket ship with two NASA astronauts on a history-making flight into orbit has been called off with 16 minutes to go in the countdown because of the danger of lightning.
Liftoff is rescheduled for Saturday.
The spacecraft was set to blast off Wednesday afternoon for the International Space Station, ushering in a new era in commercial spaceflight and putting NASA back in the business of launching astronauts from U.S. soil for the first time in nearly a decade.
Ever since the space shuttle was retired in 2011, NASA has relied on Russian rockets to carry astronauts to and from the space station.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. APs earlier story follows below.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) With thunderstorms threatening a delay, two NASA astronauts climbed aboard a SpaceX rocket ship Wednesday for liftoff on a history-making flight that was seen as a giant leap forward for the booming business of commercial space travel.
Space veterans Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken were scheduled to ride into orbit aboard the brand-new Dragon capsule on top of a Falcon 9 rocket, taking off for the International Space Station at 4:33 p.m. EDT from the same launch pad used during the Apollo moon missions a half-century ago.
Smiling, waving and giving the traditional thumbs-up, the two men said farewell to their families exchanging blown kisses and pantomiming hugs for their young sons from a coronavirus-safe distance before setting out for the pad in a gull-wing Tesla SUV, another product from SpaceXs visionary founder, Elon Musk.
Both President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence arrived to watch the liftoff.
The flight would mark the first time a private company sent humans into orbit.
It would also be the first time in nearly a decade that the United States launched astronauts into orbit from U.S. soil. Ever since the space shuttle was retired in 2011, NASA has relied on Russian spaceships launched from Kazakhstan to take U.S. astronauts to and from the space station.
With 2 1/2 hours to go before liftoff, controllers put the chances of launch at just 40 percent because of thunderstorms at NASAs Kennedy Space Center. Thunder could be heard as the astronauts made their way to the pad, and a tornado warning was issued moments after they climbed into their capsule.
In the event of a postponement, the next launch opportunity would be Saturday.
The preparations took place in the shadow of the coronavirus outbreak that has killed an estimated 100,000 Americans.
Were launching American astronauts on American rockets from American soil. We havent done this really since 2011, so this is a unique moment in time, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said.
With this launch, he said, everybody can look up and say, Look, the future is so much brighter than the present. And I really hope that this is an inspiration to the world.
Musk, wearing a mask and keeping his distance, chatted with the two NASA astronauts just before they left for the launch pad. The mission would put Musk and SpaceX in the same league as only three countries Russia, the U.S. and China, which sent astronauts into orbit in that order.
What today is about is reigniting the dream of space and getting people fired up about the future, he said in a NASA interview.
A solemn-sounding Musk said he felt his responsibilities most strongly when he saw the astronauts wives and sons just before launch. He said he told them: Weve done everything we can to make sure your dads come back OK.
NASA pushed ahead with the launch despite the viral outbreak but kept the guest list at Kennedy extremely limited and asked spectators to stay at home. Still, beaches and parks along Floridas Space Coast are open again, and hours before the launch, cars and RVs already were lining the causeway in Cape Canaveral.
The space agency also estimated 1.7 million people were watching the launch preparations online during the afternoon.
Among the sightseers was Erin Gatz, who came prepared for both rain and pandemic. Accompanied by her 14-year-old daughter and 12-year-old son, she brought face masks and a small tent to protect against the elements.
She said the children had faint memories of watching in person one of the last shuttle launches almost a decade ago when they were preschoolers.
I wanted them to see the flip side and get to see the next era of space travel, said Gatz, who lives in Deltona, Florida. Its exciting and hopeful.
Hurley, 53, and Behnken, 49, are both two-time shuttle fliers.
NASA hired SpaceX and Boeing in 2014 to transport astronauts to the space station in a new kind of public-private partnership. Development of SpaceXs Dragon and Boeings Starliner capsules took longer than expected, however. Boeings ship is not expected to fly astronauts into space until early 2021.
Were doing it differently than weve ever done it before, Bridenstine said. Were transforming how we do spaceflight in the future.
___
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
See more here:
Livestream: NASAs SpaceX Demo-2 launch to the International Space Station - Boston.com
- Soyuz Spacecraft Undocks to Return Three Crewmates to Earth - NASA Blogs - April 6th, 2024 [April 6th, 2024]
- Multinational team safely returns to Earth from the International Space Station - UPI News - April 6th, 2024 [April 6th, 2024]
- US, Russian and Belarusian ISS crew members safely return to Earth - FRANCE 24 English - April 6th, 2024 [April 6th, 2024]
- Soyuz capsule with crew of 3, including 1st female astronaut from Belarus, lands safely to end ISS mission - Space.com - April 6th, 2024 [April 6th, 2024]
- A Soyuz capsule carrying 3 crew from the International Space Station lands safely in Kazakhstan - Bozeman Daily Chronicle - April 6th, 2024 [April 6th, 2024]
- NASA investigates possible space junk that crashed through Florida home - Fox Weather - April 6th, 2024 [April 6th, 2024]
- Trio Finalizes Packing, Science Activities Before Friday Departure - NASA Blogs - April 6th, 2024 [April 6th, 2024]
- Will the 2024 total solar eclipse be visible from space? - Space.com - April 6th, 2024 [April 6th, 2024]
- A Soyuz capsule carrying 3 crew from the International Space Station lands safely in Kazakhstan - Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal - April 6th, 2024 [April 6th, 2024]
- Kazakhstan Russia Space Station | Nation % World AP news of the day | chronicleonline.com - Citrus County Chronicle - April 6th, 2024 [April 6th, 2024]
- Brain Research Tops Science Schedule Ahead of Crew Departure - NASA Blogs - April 6th, 2024 [April 6th, 2024]
- Mysterious object that crashed through Florida home was likely space junk from the International Space Station - Livescience.com - April 6th, 2024 [April 6th, 2024]
- Falling Object That Crashed Into Florida Home May Be Debris From the International Space Station - Smithsonian Magazine - April 6th, 2024 [April 6th, 2024]
- Mitsubishi takes stake in Starlab Space - SpaceNews - April 6th, 2024 [April 6th, 2024]
- Mysterious Object That Tore Through Florida Home May Be From the ISS - Newsweek - April 6th, 2024 [April 6th, 2024]
- Florida man nearly hit by possible space junk that tore through roof of his home: 'Almost hit my son' - New York Post - April 6th, 2024 [April 6th, 2024]
- Suspected space object crashes through roof of home in Naples, Florida - ABC News - April 6th, 2024 [April 6th, 2024]
- Former flight attendant for Belavia Airlines is back on earth from the ISS - AIRLIVE - April 6th, 2024 [April 6th, 2024]
- Space trash from the International Space Station tears through Florida mans home - WDBO - April 6th, 2024 [April 6th, 2024]
- NASA probing where chunk of metal that hit a Florida house came from - Business Insider - April 6th, 2024 [April 6th, 2024]
- SpaceX launches its 30th Dragon cargo mission to the ISS (video) - Space.com - March 24th, 2024 [March 24th, 2024]
- SpaceX rocket launch: Coffee, cherry tomatoes heading to space station - Florida Today - March 24th, 2024 [March 24th, 2024]
- SpaceX Resupply Mission Docks With Space Station - Aviation Week - March 24th, 2024 [March 24th, 2024]
- Space Station Welcomes Cargo, Awaits Crew Arrival - AmericaSpace - March 24th, 2024 [March 24th, 2024]
- This Week @NASA: A Commercial Mission Carries Science to the Space Station - SciTechDaily - March 24th, 2024 [March 24th, 2024]
- Soyuz MS-25 flight to Space Station launches successfully after Thursday's scrub - UPI News - March 24th, 2024 [March 24th, 2024]
- Launch aborted of Russian Soyuz spacecraft seconds before blast-off - Reuters - March 24th, 2024 [March 24th, 2024]
- Soyuz rocket carrying first Belorussian woman in space en route to ISS - The Spokesman Review - March 24th, 2024 [March 24th, 2024]
- NASA Selects New Round of Candidates for CubeSat Missions to Station - NASA - March 24th, 2024 [March 24th, 2024]
- Immunology Studies and Robotics for Orbital Residents as Crew and Cargo Craft Count Down to Launch - NASA Blogs - March 24th, 2024 [March 24th, 2024]
- Russian Soyuz rocket suffers rare last-minute abort during launch of 3 astronauts to ISS (video) - Space.com - March 24th, 2024 [March 24th, 2024]
- Watch Russian Soyuz rocket launch 3 spaceflyers to the ISS on March 23 - Space.com - March 24th, 2024 [March 24th, 2024]
- Soyuz launches to station after scrub - SpaceNews - March 24th, 2024 [March 24th, 2024]
- SpaceX Dragon soars under sunny skies Thursday to dock with International Space Station - Florida Today - March 24th, 2024 [March 24th, 2024]
- SpaceX to launch 30th cargo mission to the ISS for NASA this week - Space.com - March 24th, 2024 [March 24th, 2024]
- The Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft blasts off to the International Space Station (ISS) from the launchpad at the Baikonur ... - Colorado Springs Gazette - March 24th, 2024 [March 24th, 2024]
- Astronaut and UC Davis alum Tracy C. Dyson headed to the International Space Station for 3rd mission - KCRA Sacramento - March 24th, 2024 [March 24th, 2024]
- SpaceX launches mission to International Space Station from Florida - WFLA - March 24th, 2024 [March 24th, 2024]
- Notre Dame professor sends cancer research to space station - South Bend Tribune - March 24th, 2024 [March 24th, 2024]
- Soyuz launches 3 new crew members to ISS on its 71st flight - Interesting Engineering - March 24th, 2024 [March 24th, 2024]
- Astronauts Aboard ISS Find Lost Tomato Missing for 8 Months - PEOPLE - December 12th, 2023 [December 12th, 2023]
- NASA astronaut will celebrate Hanukkah in space with felt menorah - Space.com - December 12th, 2023 [December 12th, 2023]
- Four-time Space Veteran Jeff Williams to Retire from NASA - El Paso Inc. - December 12th, 2023 [December 12th, 2023]
- NASA astronauts finally find tomato that was lost in space for months - New York Post - December 12th, 2023 [December 12th, 2023]
- A tomato lost for 8 months on space station has finally been found, and it is a big deal - WION - December 12th, 2023 [December 12th, 2023]
- ISS astronauts find tomato that was lost in space for 8 months - FreshPlaza.com - December 12th, 2023 [December 12th, 2023]
- Watch ISS astronaut speak with Nobel Prize winners on Dec. 11 - Yahoo News - December 12th, 2023 [December 12th, 2023]
- Mysterious "red sprite" captured by space station astronaut - Earth.com - December 12th, 2023 [December 12th, 2023]
- Astronauts find tomato lost 8 months earlier aboard ISS - Supercar Blondie - December 12th, 2023 [December 12th, 2023]
- NASA pushes back timing of ISS deorbit vehicle contract - The Register - December 12th, 2023 [December 12th, 2023]
- Health, Manufacturing Science Day Before Station's 25th Anniversary - NASA Blogs - December 12th, 2023 [December 12th, 2023]
- Space Station Turns 25, Just in Time to Die - Futurism - December 12th, 2023 [December 12th, 2023]
- Tomato lost in space by astronaut has finally been found - Boing Boing - December 12th, 2023 [December 12th, 2023]
- Astronauts Just Found a Tomato That Was Missing for 8 Months in Space - Yahoo Lifestyle UK - December 12th, 2023 [December 12th, 2023]
- Space Station Astronauts Find Desiccated Tomato After Blaming Colleague for Its Theft - Futurism - December 12th, 2023 [December 12th, 2023]
- Public can tune in as NASA live streams space station's 25th anniversary call to crew - UPI News - December 12th, 2023 [December 12th, 2023]
- Happy Zero-Gravity Hanukkah! Jewish Holiday Celebrated Aboard International Space Station - The Weekly Journal - December 12th, 2023 [December 12th, 2023]
- Space Station Crew Proves Missing Tomato Wasn't Eaten By Astronaut - Tasting Table - December 12th, 2023 [December 12th, 2023]
- Astronauts from these countries have been the most frequent visitors to the International Space Station - Times of India - December 12th, 2023 [December 12th, 2023]
- Missing tomato recovered after being lost on the ISS for 8 months - Digital Trends - December 12th, 2023 [December 12th, 2023]
- NASA Terrified of Space Station Careening Out of Control and Crashing Into People - Futurism - October 29th, 2023 [October 29th, 2023]
- Cosmonauts on ISS spacewalk encounter toxic coolant 'blob' while inspecting leaky radiator - Space.com - October 29th, 2023 [October 29th, 2023]
- Unbelievable video demonstrating speed of the ISS is blowing people's minds - UNILAD - October 29th, 2023 [October 29th, 2023]
- Putin Approves Development Of Russian Space Station - Aviation Week - October 29th, 2023 [October 29th, 2023]
- NASA's SpaceX CRS-29 Mission Flies Research to the Space Station - NASA - October 29th, 2023 [October 29th, 2023]
- Progress Continues Toward NASA's Boeing Crew Flight Test to Station - NASA - October 29th, 2023 [October 29th, 2023]
- Mind-blowing animation shows the speed of the International Space ... - UNILAD - October 29th, 2023 [October 29th, 2023]
- China sends 29 biological samples to its space station onboard ... - CGTN - October 29th, 2023 [October 29th, 2023]
- How To Solve All Herta Space Station Puzzles In Aetherium Wars Of ... - TheGamer - October 29th, 2023 [October 29th, 2023]
- Honkai Star Rail: The Complete Story of Herta Space Station ... - TheGamer - July 4th, 2023 [July 4th, 2023]
- Sun breaks out with highest number of sunspots since in more than ... - Space.com - July 4th, 2023 [July 4th, 2023]
- Is there an 'up' and a 'down' in space? - Livescience.com - July 4th, 2023 [July 4th, 2023]
- The top 10 Ariane 5 rocket launches of all time - Space.com - July 4th, 2023 [July 4th, 2023]
- SpaceX rocket launches Euclid space telescope to map the 'dark ... - Space.com - July 4th, 2023 [July 4th, 2023]
- NASAs ChatGPT-like AI will let spaceships talk to astronauts - Freethink - July 4th, 2023 [July 4th, 2023]
- Space Force is redefining outer space as a theater of war - The Washington Post - July 4th, 2023 [July 4th, 2023]
- FEATURE: How the Satellite Applications Catapult replicates space ... - Professional Engineering - July 4th, 2023 [July 4th, 2023]
- Artemis 2 astronaut Jeremy Hansen says a Canadian will walk on ... - Space.com - July 4th, 2023 [July 4th, 2023]
- EU should take lead on cleaning up environment in space - EUobserver - July 4th, 2023 [July 4th, 2023]
- Blue Origin looks to expand beyond US with international launch site - Financial Times - July 4th, 2023 [July 4th, 2023]