SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is rolled out ahead of NASA astronaut launch this weekend

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket has been rolled out to a launch pad at NASA ’s Kennedy Space Centre ahead of the SpaceX NASA astronaut launch this weekend.

The launch will see four astronauts launched into space on a historic mission to the International Space Station.

The space agencies were originally meant to launch on October 31, but were forced to delay due to an ‘unexpected’ problem with the rocket.

Now, NASA has completed the signing of the Human Rating Certification Plan for SpaceX’s crew transportation system.

The launch is now scheduled for 00:49 GMT (19:49 EST) on Saturday November 14 (early hours of Sunday in the UK).

Astronauts Michael Hopkins, Victor Glover and Shannon Walker of NASA, and Soichi Noguchi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency will launch into space on board a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft on a Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre (NASA)

Jim Bridenstine, NASA Administrator, said: “I’m extremely proud to say we are returning regular human spaceflight launches to American soil on an American rocket and spacecraft.

“This certification milestone is an incredible achievement from NASA and SpaceX that highlights the progress we can make working together with commercial industry.”

During the launch, astronauts Michael Hopkins, Victor Glover and Shannon Walker of NASA, and Soichi Noguchi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency will be launched into space on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft, Resilience.

Astronauts Michael Hopkins, Victor Glover and Shannon Walker of NASA, and Soichi Noguchi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (NASA)

They’ll then travel to the International Space Station, where they’ll live for the next six months.

While both NASA and SpaceX regularly launch rockets into space, this is a historic launch.

NASA explained: “The launch will be the first time an international crew will fly aboard a NASA-certified, commercially-owned and operated American rocket and spacecraft from American soil.”

The launch comes shortly after NASA and SpaceX made history, after launching humans into space from US soil for the first time since 2011.

Back in May, astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley were launched to the International Space Station on board a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.

While astronauts are regularly launched from Earth to the International Space Station, these launches don’t usually take place in the US.

It also marked the first time that humans were launched into space on a SpaceX rocket.