Who are NASA astronauts going to space from US for the first time since 2011?

SpaceX is set to make history on May 30 as it will launch its very first passengers to space. This will be the organization's very first crewed mission. The test flight has been called Demo-2 and is slated to take off on May 30 at 3:22 PM ET (12:52 AM IST) from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

This will be the first time in almost a decade that astronauts are launched to the orbit from the United States and the very first occasion where a private vehicle will be used to take them there. NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine recently stated in a new meeting that they are launching the American space travellers on American rockets from the American soil. He also called it a huge opportunity and a pivotal turning point in time as it's been a long time since the country had a chance to do so.

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Who are the NASA astronauts who are going to space?

Presently, it's the ideal opportunity for the SpaceX Launch Crew Dragon to have a group. Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley are the two NASA astronauts going to space. The two veterans were assigned to this crucial mission back in 2018. Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley have been preparing together for this mission with both SpaceX and NASA. They are also prepared to sport SpaceX launch's custom space suits and sit down inside the case. The vehicle will send the veteran NASA space travellers to the International Space Station (ISS).

For those unaware, Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken joined NASA's astronaut program 20 years ago in 2000, and they're both married to fellow NASA astronauts.

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SpaceX has gone through the last six years preparing to reach this point and finally make things happen. In 2019, the SpaceX also did a full dress practice, where it effectively launched the Crew Dragon to the station without any human on board. SpaceX had additionally tried the emergency escape system on the capsule, affirming that the Crew Dragon can carry the crew members to safety if anything turns out badly during the dispatch.

But there have been mishaps as well, including vehicle blasts or explosion of a Crew Dragon container during a ground test that was conducted earlier. The company has since recouped, alluding to the disappointments or failures as blessings that helped them make a safe and more secure vehicle.

What are NASA astronauts going to do in space?

When in space, astronauts work on mission control and look at the different techniques and the agendas that the group in space will use, help check the space station and vehicle programming, create systems and procedures to be utilised during spacewalks or mechanical operations.

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Image credits: NASA