SpaceX, NASA announce May date for first US-based launch in years

For the first time in nearly a decade, NASA is blasting humans off into space from the U.S. 

NASA recently announced that SpaceX will be sending two astronauts — Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley — to the International Space Station next month. This marks the first time since 2011 that a NASA mission will take off from U.S. soil.

As part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, the Crew Dragon spacecraft will lift off on May 27 at 4:32 p.m. ET from Florida’s Kennedy Space Center for a stay at the ISS (the duration of the visit hasn’t been set yet). The craft will blast off into outer space with the help of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket. 

NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine announced the flight date Friday in a tweet and included a hype video, reflecting on past American missions and boasting about the upcoming launch. 

If the mission is successful, it’ll eventually lead to more exploration of the Moon and Mars. Those also happen to be cosmic destinations that SpaceX CEO Elon Musk is eager to explore. Musk tweeted Friday to lament about the slow timeline to get humans to Mars only hours after NASA celebrated the upcoming liftoff plans.

For the crewed flight to the ISS, Musk only has to wait another month. Hopefully, that works with his “personal” timeline.