Astronauts return to space from U.S. soil
Director of the Flight Operations Directorate at NASA's Johnson Space Center Stephen Koerner (L to R),Deputy Director of Flight Operations at NASA's Johnson Space Center Norm Knight, Deputy Manager of NASA's Commercial Crew Program Steve Stich and Vice President for Build and Flight Reliability at SpaceX Hans Koenigsmann monitor the launch May 30. Photo by Joel Kowsky/NASA
The Demo-2 mission is the first launch with astronauts of the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket to the International Space Station as part of the NASA's Commercial Crew Program. Photo by Joel Kowsky/NASA
Spectators on Cocoa Beach watch as NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley lift off from Kennedy Space Center's Pad 39-A onboard SpaceX Demo-2 Falcon 9 and the Crew Dragon to the International Space Station. Liftoff of Falcon 9 was the second attempt and came May 30. Photo By Gary I Rothstein/UPI
NASA Astronauts Doug Hurley (L) and Bob Behnken depart the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on May 30. The two astronauts will ride in Tesla Model X vehicles to Launch Complex 39A, where they will board the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft and fly on the first manned launch from the United States in more than nine years.Photo by Joe Marino/UPI
Behnken gives a thumbs up following walkout from the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building on May 30. Photo by Joe Marino/UPI
A SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket stand on Launch Complex 39A on May 29. Photo by Joe Marino/UPI
NASA and SpaceX will try a second attempt at launching astronauts Hurley and Behnken on the Crew Demo 2 mission on May 30. Photo by Joe Marino/UPI
Hurley (L) and Behnken depart the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on May 30. Photo by Joe Marino/UPI
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket vents fuel after NASA and SpaceX management called a hold to the launch at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on May 27. Photo by Joe Marino/UPI
Hans Koenigsmann, vice president for build and flight reliability at SpaceX, looks at a monitor showing a live feed of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the company's Crew Dragon spacecraft on the pad during the countdown for a launch attempt of NASA's SpaceX Demo-2 mission. Photo by Joel Kowsky/NASA
Spectators leave Cocoa Beach after the mission was scrubbed with minutes left on the countdown on May 27. Photo By Gary I Rothstein/UPI
NASA astronauts Robert Behnken (L) and Douglas Hurley are seen in the crew access arm at Launch Complex 39A on May 27. They were strapped into the Crew Dragon capsule when weather forced a postponement of the launch. Photo courtesy of SpaceX
Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana L to R), second lady Karen Pence, Vice President Mike Pence, first lady Melania Trump, President Donald Trump, Marillyn Hewson, chief executive officer of Lockheed Martin, Mike Hawes, VP of human space exploration and Orion program manager at Lockheed Martin Space, and NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine stop by the Artemis I capsule during a tour of the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building. Photo by Bill Ingalls/NASA
President Donald Trump participates in a SpaceX Demonstration Mission 2 launch briefing following the departure of NASA astronauts to board a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft for launch. Photo by Bill Ingalls/NASA
Hurley (L) and Behnken, wearing SpaceX spacesuits, prepare to depart the operations building for Launch Complex 39A to board the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft. Photo by Bill Ingalls/NASA
From left to right, SpaceX owner and chief engineer Elon Musk, Bridenstine, Mike Pence and Karen Pence applaud the astronauts as they head to the spacecraft. Photo by Bill Ingalls/NASA
Hurley (L) and Behnken give their families virtual hugs as they prepare for the Demo-2 mission launch. Photo by Bill Ingalls/NASA
Hurley boards a Tesla Model X for the ride to the launch area. Photo by Joe Marino/UPI
A SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket lie horizontally on Complex 39A on May 26. Photo by Joe Marino/UPI
The Vehicle Assembly Building is seen at sunset as preparations continue for the NASA's SpaceX Demo-2 mission on May 25. Photo by Joel Kowsky/NASA
In this black-and-white infrared image, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the company's Crew Dragon spacecraft onboard is seen on the launch pad. Photo by Joel Kowsky/NASA
This is a view of the crew access arm in position with the Crew Dragon spacecraft and the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on May 24. Photo courtesy of SpaceX
Behnken and Hurley are seen on a monitor showing inside the Crew Dragon capsule at Launch Complex 39A during a dress rehearsal May 23. Photo by SpaceX/UPI
Hurley (L) and Behnken participate in a dress rehearsal for launch at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on May 23. NASA Photo by Kim Shiflett/UPI
Behnken rehearses putting on his SpaceX spacesuit in the Astronaut Crew Quarters. Photo by Kim Shiflett/NASA
Hurley and Behnken return to the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building from Launch Complex 39A after completing the dress rehearsal. Photo by Bill Ingalls/NASA
Norm Knight, deputy director of Flight Operations at NASA's Johnson Space Center (L), and Steve Stich, deputy manager of NASA's Commercial Crew Program (R), monitor the countdown during the dress rehearsal. Photo by Joel Kowsky/NASA
Hurley (L) and Behnken depart the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building for Launch Complex 39A. NASA Photo by Bill Ingalls/UPI
NASA and SpaceX managers participate in a flight readiness review for the upcoming Demo-2 launch in the Operations Support Building II at NASA's Kennedy Space Center on May 21. Photo by Kim Shiflett/NASA
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the Crew Dragon spacecraft onboard is seen as it is rolled out of the horizontal integration facility at Kennedy Space Center as preparations continue on May 21 for the Demo-2 mission. Photo by Bill Ingalls/NASA
The rocket is raised into a vertical position on the launch pad as preparations continue for the Demo 2 mission, scheduled to launch at 4:33 p.m. EDT on May 27. Photo by Bill Ingalls/NASA
Behnken (L to R) and Hurley pose with NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine and Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana after the astronauts' arrival at the space center in Florida on May 20. Photo by Joe Marino/UPI
The two astronauts arrive to be the first crew to launch from the Kennedy Space Center on the SpaceX Crew Demo spacecraft. Photo by Joe Marino/UPI
Hurley speaks to the media following his arrival at the Kennedy Space Center. Photo by Joe Marino/UPI
The SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft arrives at Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, transported from the company's processing facility at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on May 15. Photo by Kim Shiflett/NASA
The SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft that will be used for the Crew-1 mission for NASA's Commercial Crew Program undergoes processing inside the clean room at SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, Calif. Photo courtesy of SpaceX
Behnken (L) and Hurley successfully completed a fully integrated test of Crew Dragon's critical flight hardware at a SpaceX processing facility on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on March 30. Photo courtesy of SpaceX
NASA and SpaceX completed an end-to-end demonstration of the teams' ability to safely evacuate crew members from the fixed service structure during an emergency situation at Launch Complex 39A on April 3. Photo courtesy of SpaceX
The SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft undergoes final processing at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Photo courtesy of SpaceX
Hurley examines the critical flight hardware during the test on March 30. Photo courtesy of SpaceX
Hurley (R) and Behnken participate in SpaceX's flight simulator. Photo courtesy of SpaceX
SpaceX teams executed a full simulation of launch and docking of the Crew Dragon spacecraft, with Hurley (R) and Behnken participating in SpaceX's flight simulator on March 19 and 20. Photo courtesy of SpaceX
SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule completes acoustic testing in Florida ahead of its crewed flight to and from the ISS later this year. Photo courtesy of SpaceX
Hurley (L) and Behnken stand near Launch Pad 39A during a dress rehearsal ahead of the SpaceX uncrewed In-Flight Abort Test at Kennedy Space Center, Fla., on January 17. In the background, the company's Falcon 9 rocket is topped by the Crew Dragon spacecraft. The flight test will demonstrate the spacecraft's escape capabilities in preparation for crewed flights to the International Space Station. Photo by Kim Shiflett/NASA
NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine (L) and SpaceX chief Elon Musk converse at Kennedy Space Center's launch control center while awaiting liftoff of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft on the uncrewed in-flight abort test on January 19. Photo by Kim Shiflett/NASA
Hurley (R) and Behnken don SpaceX spacesuits in the astronaut crew quarters during a dress rehearsal ahead of the company's uncrewed in-flight abort test. Photo by Kim Shiflett/NASA
The test, which did not have NASA astronauts aboard, demonstrated Crew Dragon's ability to reliably carry crew to safety in the unlikely event of an emergency on ascent. Photo courtesy of SpaceX
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket boosts the Crew Dragon spacecraft for NASA on a launch abort test from Complex 39A at Kennedy on January 19. SpaceX conducted the test as a final measure to assure safety for future crewed missions to the International Space Station. Photo by Joe Marino-Bill Cantrell/UPI
