COVID-hit Elon Musk misses launch of SpaceX's first commercial rocket taking astronauts to the International Space Station for NASA but Mike Pence flies in

 Vice President Mike Pence and second lady Karen Pence were the faces of the Trump administration at Sunday night's NASA-SpaceX launch of Resilience, which marks the start of commercial crew missions to and from the International Space Station.

Pence and his wife stood on a balcony next to NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine and his family as Resilience glowed from the bottom and started to lift off - the thunderous sound of the rocket then followed. The Pences applauded and then embraced as the ship flew out of sight.

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk was notably absent from the launch due to receiving mixed coronavirus test results, indicating he 'most likely' has Covid-19. 


'Welcome to launch America. Welcome to the continuation of a new era of human space exploration in America,' Pence had told guests at a reception before the launch. 'It's a historic night,' the vice president said. 

Later when he addressed the Launch Control Center, Pence added, ' I truly believe America now for generations after tonight will look at this night and say that's when a new era of American leadership in human space exploration officially began.' 

Lift-off took place at 7.27pm EST from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida where the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft roared as it soared into the sky over the Atlantic Ocean.  

By 7.30pm stage separation was confirmed meaning the Resilience capsule separated from Falcon 9 rocket and was headed toward the space station. 

The capsule which sat on top of the rocket will spend 27.5 hours in orbit and is due to reach the space station late Monday. It will remain there through the spring.  


Mike Pence and Second Lady Karen Pence pictured together above at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida to watch the NASA-SpaceX launch. Pence told guests at a reception before the launch: 'Welcome to launch America. Welcome to the continuation of a new era of human space exploration in America. It's a historic night'

Mike Pence and Second Lady Karen Pence pictured together above at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida to watch the NASA-SpaceX launch. Pence told guests at a reception before the launch: 'Welcome to launch America. Welcome to the continuation of a new era of human space exploration in America. It's a historic night'

Vice President Mike Pence and second lady Karen Pence were the faces of the Trump administration at Sunday night's NASA-SpaceX launch of Resilience, which marks the start of commercial crew missions to and from the International Space Station

Vice President Mike Pence and second lady Karen Pence were the faces of the Trump administration at Sunday night's NASA-SpaceX launch of Resilience, which marks the start of commercial crew missions to and from the International Space Station

Take-off! A view of the SpaceX Falcon9 rocket with the Crew Dragon capsule launching Sunday evening above, marking the first operational NASA commercial crew mission

Take-off! A view of the SpaceX Falcon9 rocket with the Crew Dragon capsule launching Sunday evening above, marking the first operational NASA commercial crew mission

The Dragon capsule which sat on top of the rocket, and was named Resilience in this trip in light of this year’s pandemic and challenges, will spend 27.5 hours in orbit and is due to reach the space station late Monday. It will remain there through the spring

The Dragon capsule which sat on top of the rocket, and was named Resilience in this trip in light of this year’s pandemic and challenges, will spend 27.5 hours in orbit and is due to reach the space station late Monday. It will remain there through the spring

President Donald Trump remained in Washington Sunday, spending several hours at his Virginia golf club, as he continues to refuse to concede the election to President-elect Joe Biden

Pence refused to answer reporters' questions about when Trump might concede - or if he believed the president should run again in 2024, a move the president is reportedly mulling.  

Trump tweeted after take-off: 'A great launch! @NASA was a closed up disaster when we took over. Now it is again the "hottest", most advanced, space center in the world, by far!' 

The Pences left Washington Sunday afternoon after the launch was delayed by a day and SpaceX founder and chief executive Elon Musk was sidelined thanks to the coronavirus. 

'Well everybody I just had to come by, I know it's been a long couple of days for you all. But to the launch team at SpaceX, to the great team at NASA, let me just say on behalf of the president and a grateful nation. Great job tonight. What a great launch,' Pence told those working at the Launch Control Center, which is in a separate building from where the Pences watched lift-off.    

He passed along his best wishes to Musk to SpaceX President and COO Gwynne Shotwell, who was standing along the side of the control room with him. 

Several dozen people were seated at computer desks, which were facing a wall filled with windows and screens. 

'And thank him. He was, last time I saw him was right here and he was a little bit emotional, as we all should be,' Pence said of Musk.

'What you all have time, what this great NASA team has done, with this great SpaceX team has done, really I think tonight, tonight really opens a new era of human exploration with American leadership, it really does,' Pence continued. 

 'In May we had a successful launch, more of a demonstration run, to show we could do it. But now with this crew mission, it's official. NASA is back with SpaceX at our side and the best is yet to come,' the vice president added. 

He also admitted what a nerve-rack·ing experience it was to have a ring·side seat to the lift-off.   

'I will tell you I didn't start breathing until about a minute after it took off,' Pence said. 

'I knew just enough about your world to know how - know the great risk - and these incredible astronauts, I'm always incredibly inspired by their courage, their selflessness and I think it's also very special we have an international mission,' Pence added.

This mark’s NASA’s first operational flight for SpaceX’s Crew Dragon as NASA will allow commercial rockets to take astronauts to and fro from the international space station instead of government-operated spacecrafts.

This is also only the second time that SpaceX sent people into orbit in its Dragon capsule and its Falcon rocket.

Musk volunteered via tweet that he 'most likely' had a mild case of COVID-19 and was experiencing cold symptoms. Musk's COVID-19 test results were mixed and thus he did not attend the launch. 


Astronauts, from left, Victor Glover, Michael Hopkins, Shannon Walker, and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Soichi Noguchi wave to family members as they leave the Operations and Checkout Building for a trip to Launch Pad 39-A and planned liftoff on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the Crew Dragon capsule on a six-month mission to the International Space Station on Sunday November  15

Astronauts, from left, Victor Glover, Michael Hopkins, Shannon Walker, and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Soichi Noguchi wave to family members as they leave the Operations and Checkout Building for a trip to Launch Pad 39-A and planned liftoff on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the Crew Dragon capsule on a six-month mission to the International Space Station on Sunday November  15

Pence pictured posing with guests at the highly-anticipated successful launch Sunday

Pence pictured posing with guests at the highly-anticipated successful launch Sunday

Success! The Vice President and the Second Lady applauded as they watch the rocket soar into the air

Success! The Vice President and the Second Lady applauded as they watch the rocket soar into the air

Ready to go! The astronauts pictured aboard the Resilience capsule ready to head into space

Ready to go! The astronauts pictured aboard the Resilience capsule ready to head into space 

Musk disclosed on the eve of the launch that he 'most likely' has a moderate case of coronavirus and was forced to quarantine. Still, he was in good spirits on Sunday tweeting 'Astronaut launch today!'

Musk disclosed on the eve of the launch that he 'most likely' has a moderate case of coronavirus and was forced to quarantine. Still, he was in good spirits on Sunday tweeting 'Astronaut launch today!'

But he cheered from the sidelines, tweeting Sunday morning: 'Astronaut launch day!' 

The Sunday launch marked the second time in a decade that astronauts would blast off from American soil.   

Four diverse astronauts were chosen for the Crew-1 Sunday night ride: Mike Hopkins, Victor Glover, Shannon Walker and Soichi Noguchi of Japan. 

Noguchi's role in the mission was brought up by Pence both times he spoke Sunday night on Kennedy Center Space Center's grounds.

 'The Japanese astronaut with us I think is emblematic of a great future that lies ahead,' Pence said. 

Pence said the international partners 'share our ideals.'  

'Our commitment to freedom and all the principles that have made the west so strong and so great and vibrant. And so we're going to continue to bring those partners in,' the vice president said. 

Glover, who joined the astronaut corps in 2013, will be the first black crew member at the space station. For the past 20 years astronauts have been living at the space station but the extended crew never included a black astronaut until Glover. 

However, he won't be the first black person on the base. Those who preceded him were members of space shuttle crews who briefly stayed there during the station’s construction. NASA has only sent 14 black Americans to space out of a total of more than 300 astronauts, according to the New York Times

The crew is led by NASA astronaut Michael Hopkins, an Air Force colonel, pictured above saying goodbye to friends who saw him off at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Sunday

The crew is led by NASA astronaut Michael Hopkins, an Air Force colonel, pictured above saying goodbye to friends who saw him off at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Sunday

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Soichi Noguchi will become only the third person to rocket into orbit aboard three different kinds of spacecraft.
The SpaceX crew member, NASA astronaut Victor Glover, who is also a Navy commander, pictured waving goodbye to family and friends on Sunday before launch

Other crew members include Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Soichi Noguchi (left), who will become only the third person to rocket into orbit aboard three different kinds of spacecraft

Physicist Shannon Walker pictured waving to friends and family as she headed to the launch pad for take off Sunday afternoon

Physicist Shannon Walker pictured waving to friends and family as she headed to the launch pad for take off Sunday afternoon

The crew chose the name 'Resilience' after what the world went through in 2020, enduring the COVID-19 pandemic. 

It marks the first time the Dragon capsule was staffed with four people. 

Two astronauts flew on the test run, which marked the first time a rocket took off from the U.S. in a decade. 

Both Pence and Trump were on hand for the launch.     

The first stage of the Falcon 9 rocket is reusable and so the launch was delayed one day because the ocean water would have been too choppy to recover it. 

Space-X will use that rocket for the next crewed mission, slated for March 30, 2021. 

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Soichi Noguchi waves to family members as he leaves the Operations and Checkout Building with fellow crew members for the rocket launch pad on Sunday

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Soichi Noguchi waves to family members as he leaves the Operations and Checkout Building with fellow crew members for the rocket launch pad on Sunday

Members of Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Soichi Noguchi pose for a photo as the astronauts leave the Operations and Checkout Building at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida on Sunday

Members of Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Soichi Noguchi pose for a photo as the astronauts leave the Operations and Checkout Building at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida on Sunday

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the company's Crew Dragon spacecraft onboard is seen on the launch pad at Launch Complex 39A on Sunday

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the company's Crew Dragon spacecraft onboard is seen on the launch pad at Launch Complex 39A on Sunday

Overall, SpaceX plans to fly seven crew and cargo missions for NASA over the next 15 months.    

It's unclear if Biden will do much to change the current trajectory of the space program, which aims to send humans to Mars. 

Trump also told rally crowds that he wanted to send the first woman to the Moon, as only male astronauts were on those missions. 

Biden's election might also spell the end to Trump's Space Force, the sixth branch of the military he created. 

NASA turned to private companies to haul cargo and crews to the space station, following the 2011 retirement of its space shuttles. The space agency will save millions by no longer needing to buy seats on Russian Soyuz capsules.

NASA's other crew transport provider, Boeing, has yet to launch astronauts. The company is still working to overcome software problems following last December's marred space debut of its Starliner capsule.

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