Pence: We have begun a new mission - to ultimately land Americans on Mars

NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken have flown into space aboard the Crew Dragon capsule, and are bound for the International Space Station.

By REUTERS

MAY 31, 2020 01:15

NASA astronauts Douglas Hurley and Robert Behnken head to launch pad 39 to board a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket for a second launch attempt on NASA?s SpaceX Demo-2 mission to the International Space Station from NASA?s Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, US May 30, 2020 (photo credit: REUTERS/JOE SKIPPER) — NASA astronauts Douglas Hurley and Robert Behnken head to launch pad 39 to board a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket for a second launch attempt on NASA?s SpaceX Demo-2 mission to the International Space Station from NASA?s Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, US May 30, 2020

(photo credit: REUTERS/JOE SKIPPER)

America's Vice President, Mike Pence, has re-affirmed that the White House has ambitions for American astronauts to pilot a mission to Mars, following the successful launch of two astronauts into space for the first time in nine years.

Speaking following the launch, Pence lauded the two astronauts, Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken, for their courage and skill in piloting the craft.

“And of course none of this would have been possible without the personal courage and the unflinching skill of two American @NASA_Astronauts.” @VP Pence praises #LaunchAmerica crew members @AstroBehnken and @Astro_Doug. pic.twitter.com/06wUHkNVFS
— NASA (@NASA) May 30, 2020

"American astronauts returned to space on an American rocket from American soil for the first time in nearly 10 years. You did it." - @VP Pence offers congratulations on #LaunchAmerica. pic.twitter.com/bpvoCeCr9U
— NASA (@NASA) May 30, 2020

He then went on to reiterate President Donald Trump's ambitions to land Americans on Mars, saying that this launch marked the first step in that journey.

“Today, under this President, we begin a new mission. To return to the Moon and ultimately land American astronauts on the face of Mars.” @VP Pence on our return to the Moon and beyond with #Artemis. pic.twitter.com/HYgmZd6EKF
— NASA (@NASA) May 30, 2020

In July 2019, the President lauded the Apollo 11 moon landing at an event to mark the 50th anniversary of the historic mission, saying "I want you to know that we're going to be back on the moon very soon, and, someday soon, we will plant the American flag on Mars."

On Saturday, SpaceX, the private rocket company of billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, launched the two Americans toward orbit from Florida in a mission that marks the first spaceflight of NASA astronauts from US soil in nine years.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center at 3:22 p.m. EDT (1922 GMT), launching Hurley and Behnken on a 19-hour ride aboard the company's newly designed Crew Dragon capsule bound for the International Space Station.

In an effort to include the public in the historic event, SpaceX launched an online simulator that allows anyone with internet access to try and dock at the International Space Station.

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Weather that might have led to another postponement appeared to have cleared with launch probability increased to 70 percent. The emergency escape system has been armed and fueling of the rocket was underway.

The mission's first launch try on Wednesday was called off with less than 17 minutes remaining on the countdown clock due to stormy weather around the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral in Florida.

They will be carried there inside the newly-designed Crew Dragon capsule, making its first flight into orbit with humans aboard.

The launch pad is the same one used by NASA's final space shuttle flight, piloted by Hurley, in 2011. Since then, NASA astronauts have had to hitch rides into orbit aboard Russia's Soyuz spacecraft.

As the crew bid goodbye to their families before getting into a specially-designed Tesla for the ride to the launch site, Behnken told his young son, "Be good for mom. Make her life easy.”

During the drive, Behnken and Hurley passed former astronaut Garrett Reisman holding a side saying "Take me with you."

NASA chief Jim Bridenstine has said resuming launches of American astronauts on American-made rockets from U.S. soil is the space agency's top priority.

For Musk, the launch represents another milestone for the reusable rockets his company pioneered to make spaceflight less costly and more frequent. And it would mark the first time commercially developed space vehicles - owned and operated by a private entity rather than NASA - have carried Americans into orbit.

The last time NASA launched astronauts into space aboard a brand new vehicle was 40 years ago at the start of the space shuttle program.

If the mission is scrubbed again, the next launch window would be Sunday afternoon.

Musk, the South African-born high-tech entrepreneur who made his fortune in Silicon Valley, is also CEO of electric carmaker and battery manufacturer Tesla Inc. He founded Hawthorne, California-based SpaceX, formally known as Space Exploration Technologies, in 2002.

Hurley, 53, and Behnken, 49, NASA employees under contract to fly with SpaceX, are expected to remain at the space station for several weeks, assisting a short-handed crew aboard the orbital laboratory.

Boeing Co, producing its own launch system in competition with SpaceX, is expected to fly its CST-100 Starliner vehicle with astronauts aboard for the first time next year. NASA has awarded nearly $8 billion to SpaceX and Boeing combined for development of their rival rockets.