All eyes are on the sky early on Friday.
SpaceX and NASA started their Crew 2 mission around 5:49 a.m. on Friday.
The highly anticipated NASA and SpaceX Crew-2 mission launch includes the dispatch of four astronauts to the International Space Station on the Falcon 9 rocket. Those on the space coast will see it illuminate the sky.
Once launched, the first stage of Falcon 9 will target a drone ship landing northeast of Florida.
Here are some things you should know about starting Crew-2.
When is take off?
Launch was scheduled for Friday at 5:49 a.m. with an immediate launch window from Launch Complex 39A in the Kennedy Space Center. The Falcon 9 rocket and its Crew Dragon capsule must be launched for the space station on time or at least 24 hours late.
Who are the astronauts for the Crew 2 mission?
NASA astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur, Japanese Aki Hoshide and European astronaut Thomas Pesquet will ride the Dragon to Earth Orbit crew. Their Crew 2 mission marks the second full-time flight from SpaceX to the ISS and the third overall with astronauts. All four are former space shuttles or Russian-made Soyuz spacecraft veterans.
• Meet the NASA and SpaceX Crew 2 mission astronauts: Akihiko Hoshide
• Meet the NASA and SpaceX Crew 2 mission astronauts: Thomas Pesquet
• Meet the NASA and SpaceX Mission 2 mission astronauts: Megan McArthur
• Meet the NASA and SpaceX Crew 2 Mission Astronauts: Shane Kimbrough
How long will you be on the ISS?
The astronauts are planning a six-month stay.
