A SpaceX flight, commanded by Jessica Watkins, has set a US speed record for reaching the International Space Station (ISS). Four astronauts arrived at the ISS on Thursday after an eight-hour journey.
Commander Watkins made history as the first Black woman to lead a crew to orbit. This is her second trip to the space station, having previously had a lengthy stay in 2022.
The launch for Nasa followed a three-week delay to address a leaking fuel system in their Dragon capsule. Despite initial threats from thick clouds, the skies cleared for a safe liftoff from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
The flight was the quickest yet for any American entity, including Nasa. The space station's convenient location at the time of launch enabled the fast transit.
The crew, designated Crew-13, includes Nasa’s Luke Delaney, Canada’s Joshua Kutryk, and Russia’s Sergey Teteryatnikov, all of whom are newcomers to space. They will replace four astronauts who have been at the orbiting laboratory since February.