Three American astronauts and a Russian cosmonaut embarked on a six-month mission to the International Space Station (ISS) after a successful launch from Florida's Kennedy Space Center. The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the crew lifted off at 10:53 pm, illuminating the night sky with a bright plume of orange flame.

The rocket, traveling at a speed of 6,000 miles per hour, reached orbit minutes after liftoff. The capsule, named Endeavour, is familiar to SpaceX, having been launched four times previously. This mission, designated Crew-8, includes first-time space travelers Matthew Dominick and Jeanette Epps, along with Russian astronaut Alexander Grebenkin. Michael Barratt, a physician, is on his third trip to the ISS.

SpaceX has been providing astronaut launch services for NASA since 2020 under the Commercial Crew Program. The mission aims to relieve four other crew members currently aboard the ISS. Despite tensions between the United States and Russia, space cooperation continues, with seven people currently on the ISS.

The refreshed crew will conduct experiments, including studying degenerative diseases using stem cells to create organoids in the microgravity environment of space. However, concerns persist over recent issues on the Russian side of the ISS, including a small leak that is being monitored closely by NASA.