“This is an important mission for NASA, SpaceX, and our partners at JAXA, and we look forward to watching this crew arrive at the station to carry on our partnership for all of humanity,” added Bridenstine.
On the other hand, SpaceX president and chief operating officer Gwynne Shotwell said, “Falcon 9 looked great, Dragon was dropped off into a beautiful orbit about 12 minutes into the mission, and we’ll get more data as we go.”
Watch the successful launch on NASA TV!
Zero-G indicator
It is a tradition that every spaceflight has a “zero-G indicator.” This is a small, usually a soft object that floats freely when the spaceship hits a microgravity environment.
The SpaceX Crew-1 astronauts have chosen “The Child,” better known as Baby Yoda as a zero-G indicator. The small plush soft toy is perfect for the job.
The Crew Dragon was released from the Falcon 9 rocket as it pushed against the Earth’s gravity and was launched into low-earth-orbit. Baby Yoda rose to the occasion. It has been bouncing around the crew in the cabin confirming they are in a gravity-free zone.
