SpaceX ready to take four astronauts to ISS Saturday

Three NASA crew and one Japanese astronaut are set for launch aboard a SpaceX rocket Saturday, bound for the International Space Station in the program's first six-month routine mission since the United States resumed crewed space flight in May after nine years of reliance on Russia.

NASA on Tuesday officially certified as safe the Crew Dragon capsule developed for regular astronaut transportation by SpaceX, the company founded by Elon Musk that carried two astronauts to the ISS in May and back to Earth again in August without major incident.

"I'm extremely proud to say we are returning regular human spaceflight launches to American soil on an American rocket and spacecraft," NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine said.

Take-off is planned for 7:49 pm Saturday (0049 GMT Sunday) from Kennedy Space Center in Florida with American astronauts Michael Hopkins, Victor Glover and Shannon Walker and Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi on board.

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From left to right: NASA astronauts Shannon Walker, Victor Glover and Mike Hopkins, and Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi, seen November 8 2020.

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Nov. 14, 2020: Astronauts to Launch on NASA and SpaceX Crew-1 Mission

On Nov. 14, 2020, NASA astronauts Mike Hopkins, Victor Glover, Shannon Walker and JAXA astronaut Soichi Noguchi will launch on NASA's SpaceX Crew-1 mission bound for the International Space Station.

Once there, they will perform space station upgrades, conduct science experiments to benefit life on Earth, and continue preparing humanity for future missions to the Moon -- and eventually Mars.

This is the first crew rotation mission with four astronauts flying on a commercial spacecraft, and the first including an international partner.