Four astronauts arrived at the International Space Station on Thursday after an eight-hour express flight that set a US speed record. This historic mission was led by Jessica Watkins, marking her as the first Black woman to command a crew to orbit.

Launch Details

The SpaceX launch took place after a three-week delay due to repairs on their Dragon capsule, which had a leaking fuel system. Despite thick clouds threatening to halt the countdown, the skies cleared just in time for a safe liftoff from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

Watkins, a geologist who previously worked with NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity, is making her second trip to the space station after a lengthy stay in 2022. Following liftoff, she expressed her gratitude, stating,

“

"Thanks for an amazing ride."

Quickest Transit

Although their stay at the ISS will last six months, this flight was the fastest ever for SpaceX and any American entity, including NASA. The astronauts' launch coincided with the space station's convenient location, enabling rapid transit.

The crew includes:

  • Jessica Watkins (Commander)
  • Luke Delaney (NASA, retired marine)
  • Joshua Kutryk (Canada, colonel in the Royal Canadian Air Force)
  • Sergey Teteryatnikov (Russia, former submariner)