SpaceX heads off for International Space Station with US, Russian, Japanese Astronauts

Billionaire tycoon Elon Musk-led Space X blasted off from Florida on Wednesday and headed for the International Space Station (ISS).

The mission included a Russian cosmonaut and a Japanese and two American astronauts. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the company's Dragon spacecraft is launched on NASA's SpaceX Crew-5 mission to the International Space Station with NASA astronauts Nicole Mann and Josh Cassada, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Koichi Wakata, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Anna Kikina onboard on October 5 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, according to the press statement released by NASA.

NASA's SpaceX Crew-5 is the fifth mission of the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket to the ISS as part of the agency's Commercial Crew Program.

The crew members assigned to NASA's SpaceX Crew-5 mission are in orbit now

The international crew will serve as the agency's fifth commercial crew rotation mission with SpaceX aboard the orbital laboratory.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket propelled the Dragon Endurance spacecraft into orbit carrying NASA astronauts Nicole Mann as mission commander, and Josh Cassada, pilot. JAXA astronaut Koichi Wakata and Roscosmos cosmonaut Anna Kikina, also aboard the Dragon, will serve as mission specialists for their science expedition in microgravity aboard the space station, according to a statement.

"Missions like Crew-5 are proof we are living through a golden era of commercial space exploration. It's a new era powered by the spirit of partnership, fueled by scientific ingenuity, and inspired by the quest for new discoveries," said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson.

During their stay aboard the ISS, Crew-5 will conduct more than 200 science experiments...