SpaceX launches astronauts on previously flown rocket, spacecraft FacebookTwitterEmail A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the company's Crew Dragon spacecraft is launched on NASA’s SpaceX Crew-2 mission to the International Space Station on Friday, April 23, 2021, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.NASA/Aubrey Gemignani, Archivist/Photographer / (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani) SpaceX launched four astronauts into space Friday morning, marking its third launch with people onboard and the first time the Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft have been reused for a crewed launch. NASA astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Akihiko Hoshide and European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Pesquet launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center at 4:49 a.m. CDT. They are expected to dock with the International Space Station Saturday morning to begin their six-month stay.