A SpaceX Falcon 9 streaked into the early morning sky from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center launching four astronauts to the International Space Station. The Crew-2 mission is the first to fly two astronauts from other nations as part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program. Liftoff of the Falcon 9 rocket took place at 5:49 a.m. EDT April 23, 2021.
On Feb. 9, 2020, the European Space Agency and NASA launched the Solar Orbiter spacecraft to gain a better understanding of how the Sun influences life on Earth. Additionally, it will provide crucial information on the effects the Sun may have on astronauts as they travel to the Moon and Mars as part of NASA’s Artemis Program.
The first elements of the International Space Station now have been in orbit for more than 20 years. Assembly of the largest spacecraft ever built was a global, cooperative effort and began with the STS-88 space shuttle mission in December 1998.