SpaceX Dragon Launches Four Astronauts toward Space Station

Falcon 9 lifts-off with Crew Dragon 1 from KSC on Nov. 15. (NASA)

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- A SpaceX Falcon 9 lifted-off from America's Space Coast on Sunday evening with four astronauts beginning the first flight of an operational Crew Dragon spacecraft.

NASA astronauts Michael Hopkins, Victor Glover, Shannon Walker, and Japan's Soichi Noguchi are on course to dock with the International Space Station on Monday. They are scheduled to live and work aboard the orbital outpost for six months.

Crew Dragon 1 thundered away from the Kennedy Space Center's historic pad 39-A at 7:27:17 p.m. EST, riding a top the Falcon 9. The candlestick rocket darted out over the Atlantic waters at the exact moment the space station was 260 miles overhead.

"To all the people at NASA and SpaceX, by working through these difficult times you've inspired the nation, the world, and in no small part the name of this incredible vehicle," Dragon commander Hopkins radioed minutes before launch. "And now it's time to do our part -- Crew One for all."

The astronauts named their spacecraft Resilience by the crew to highlight the dedication of the teams involved with preparing the mission for flight. The successful launch occurred on the heels of a test flight by two NASA astronauts last May.

“I am extremely proud to say we are returning regular human spaceflight launches to American soil on an American rocket and spacecraft,” NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said on Saturday. “This certification milestone is an incredible achievement from NASA and SpaceX that highlights the progress we can make working together with commercial industry.”

Nearly three minutes into Resilience's launch, Falcon's nine first stage engines shutdown as scheduled. The first stage then separated and the second stage engines ignited to continue the journey to orbit.

As the four astronauts raced toward space, the Falcon's separated first stage performed two burns to The first stage successfully landed at 7:36 p.m. aboard a Space X drone ship floating off shore east of Jacksonville.

Nine minutes into the flight, the Crew Dragon reached orbital insertion. The Resilience later separated from the second stage on time at 7:39 p.m.

"The Crew-1 mission is a major step for NASA’s Commercial Crew Program," NASA spokesperson Marie Lewis said. "Operational, long duration commercial crew rotation missions will enable NASA to continue the important research and technology investigations taking place onboard the station."

Crew Dragon 1 is scheduled to be in alignment for docking to the orbiting outpost. Docking is planned for 11:00 p.m. on Nov. 16.

(Charles A Atkeison reports on aerospace and technology. Follow his updates via social media @AbsolutSpaceGuy.)