Elon Musk's SpaceX sends fresh batch of astronauts on International Space Station (ISS)

WASHINGTON: A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying Dragon spacecraft was on its way to the International Space Station (ISS) with NASA astronauts Nicole Mann and Josh Cassada, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Koichi Wakata, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Anna Kikina onboard.

They will spend up to six months aboard the ISS. Wakata is the sole spaceflight veteran among the astronauts, having spent more than 11 months in space.

"Missions like Crew-5 are proof we are living through a golden era of commercial space exploration. It's a new era powered by the spirit of partnership, fueled by scientific ingenuity, and inspired by the quest for new discoveries," said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson.

During their stay, Crew-5 will conduct more than 200 science experiments and technology demonstrations, including studies on printing human organs in space and better understanding heart disease.

"While our eyes are focused upward on the heavens, let us never forget these missions will also better life here on Earth," Nelsons said in a statement. (IANS)

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