Konstantin Borisov, Andreas Mogensen, Jasmine Moghbeli and Satoshi Furukawa

Florida: An international crew of four representing four countries is in orbit following a successful launch to the International Space Station at 3:27 EDT on Saturday, August 26, from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre in Florida, NASA said in a press release.

The agency’s SpaceX Crew-7 mission is the seventh commercial crew rotation mission for NASA.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched the Dragon spacecraft into orbit carrying NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Andreas Mogensen, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Satoshi Furukawa, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Konstantin Borisov, for a science expedition aboard the orbital laboratory.

“Crew-7 is a shining example of the power of both American ingenuity and what we can accomplish when we work together,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “Aboard the station, the crew will conduct more than 200 science experiments and technology demonstrations to prepare for missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond, all while benefitting humanity on Earth. By partnering with countries around the world, NASA is engaging the best scientific minds to enable our bold missions, and it’s clear that we can do more – and we can learn more – when we work together.”