SpaceX successfully launched a spacecraft to transport people to the ISS

The Falcon 9 rocket takes the Crew Dragon to orbit from launch pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 2:22 pm on May 31 according to Hanoi time.

The launch of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket and the Space Dragon Crew spacecraft from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida to the International Space Station (ISS) marks the first time astronauts have been launched into orbit from the United States since five 2011. The flight, Demo-2, also marked Elon Musk's SpaceX company, becoming the first private enterprise to send astronauts into space under a cooperation agreement with NASA in 2010.

The Crew Dragon is located on the back of the 9-engine Falcon 9 rocket taking off from the launch pad at 2:22 pm on May 31 in Hanoi time, creating a cloud of smoke as it flies high above the Atlantic. "Thanks for the first flight carrying people on the Falcon 9 rocket ," astronaut Doug Hurley shared from the ship's compartment after Crew Dragon reached orbit. " It's hard to believe. I really appreciate all the hard work and thanks for the wonderful flight into space."

The Falcon rocket propulsion floor returned to Earth after separating from the first floor and successfully landed on unmanned ships in the Atlantic to reuse for future missions. The Crew Dragon flies into orbit 12 minutes later and will take 19 hours to chase the ISS station at an altitude of more than 400 km above Earth before pairing today. Hurley and Bob Behnken, who used to fly on a space shuttle, will meet colleague Chris Cassidy with two Russian astronauts on the ISS station. They will stay in ISS for 120 days. 

On May 27, the first launch was postponed only 17 minutes before the scheduled flight time. Project management identified only 50% of the chance of flying on that day due to thunderstorms, lightning storms and dark clouds dragging to the Cape Canaveral area. This launch will pave the way for the frequent flights of Crew Dragon later this year. SpaceX engineers will analyze all aspects of the ship's operation.  

US President Donald Trump and his wife Melania and Vice President Mike Pence came to watch the launch. Trump directed NASA to send people back to the Moon in 2024, the first from the last Apollo mission in 1972. 

Donald Trump, Mike Pence and wife Karen Pence watched the launch of the Falcon 9. (Image: Reuters) .

The 4-seat Crew Dragon features a touchscreen technology that looks a bit like the 1960s Apollo and NASA's shuttle fleet. The two astronauts Hurley and Behnken move to the launch pad by electric car Tesla, another company of Musk. They wore the pressurized flying costumes designed by Musk. 

SpaceX has overcome many previous challenges. Crew Dragon's cabin was destroyed during a ground test in Cape Canaveral in April 2019. In 2015, a Falcon 9 rocket exploded after flying 139 seconds. 

After discontinuing the space shuttle program in July 2011, NASA depended on Russia for astronaut operations to the ISS station. NASA has to pay $ 85 million for each seat on the Soyuz spacecraft. With the success of Demo-2, this will change completely.