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SpaceX The First Private Company To Send Humans To Space

The shuttle successfully reached the International Space Station overnight

CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA – MAY 30: In this SpaceX handout image, a Falcon 9 rocket carrying the company’s Crew Dragon spacecraft launches on the Demo-2 mission to the International Space Station with NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley onboard at Launch Complex 39A May 30, 2020, at the Kennedy Space Center, Florida. The Demo-2 mission is the first launch of a manned SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft. It was the first launch of an American crew from U.S. soil since the conclusion of the Space Shuttle program in 2011. (Photo by SpaceX via Getty Images)

Elon Musk and SpaceX has long been planning this moment and in new history-making news, it has become the first private firm to send humans to space. After a 19 hour-long journey, today it was confirmed that long-standing NASA astronauts Robert (Bob) Behnken and Douglas Hurley reached the International Space Station. A third passenger – a plush toy – has also taken flight and will represent the men’s families.

This is the first time in human history @NASA_Astronauts have entered the @Space_Station from a commercially-made spacecraft. @AstroBehnken and @Astro_Doug have finally arrived to the orbiting laboratory in @SpaceX's Dragon Endeavour spacecraft. pic.twitter.com/3t9Ogtpik4

— NASA (@NASA) May 31, 2020

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The launch which took place from Kennedy Space Centre in Florida is the first time in almost 10 years that American astronauts have travelled to outer space. The NASA Space Shuttle program ended in 2011 after a 30-year long journey. Thanks to new technology and social media, the world we have a clear picture in what occurs during space travel and will continue to contribute to the science of astronomy. In commemorating the past NASA journey, Bob Behnken and Douglas Hurley have announced they will rename the Falcon 9 ship capsule to the “Endeavour” in remembrance for the original NASA space shuttle and the first ship the duo took their first flights in.

CAPE CANAVERAL, UNITED STATES – 2020/05/30: SpaceX founder Elon Musk celebrates after being recognized by U.S. Vice President Mike Pence at NASA’s Vehicle Assembly Building following the successful launch of a Falcon 9 rocket with the Crew Dragon spacecraft from pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center.
NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken will rendezvous and dock with the International Space Station, becoming the first people to launch into space from American soil since the end of the Space Shuttle program in 2011. (Photo by Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

SpaceX was the topic of controversy late last year after the company revealed the successful deployment of 60 Starlink satellites. The brightness and number of high-speed internet satellites is concerning and one astronomer warned it would “threaten astronomy itself”. Whether more satellites will be deployed is currently not known for sure.

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Art collector and entrepreneur, Yusaku Maezawa is believed to be the first paying customer of SpaceX and will take a mission to the moon in 2023.

Stay tuned for further developments.

topics: life, technology, SpaceX, elon musk, news