A new space era begins in Central Florida: SpaceX's successful Crew Dragon launch - WFTV Orlando

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - March 2 | 3:15 a.m.:

A new era has started for the Space Coast. SpaceX's Demo 1 successfully launched from Kennedy Space Center opening the doors for commercial flights from the U.S. to carry astronauts to space.

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Astronauts have not left to space from U.S. soil since 2011. This demo flight could once again make the Space Coast a place where astronauts wave goodbye before lifting for space exploration and research.

Spectacular Lift-off!!! pic.twitter.com/vhe8801MrN
— Ken Tyndall (@KenTyndallWFTV) March 2, 2019

Aboard the Crew Dragon capsule, a well monitored dummy will arrive to the International Space Station on Sunday morning, along with 400 pounds of cargo. If everything goes as planned, astronauts could be launching from KSC aboard a Dragon capsule as soon as this summer.

What a landing! @spacex does it again! This makes the 15th successful landing on Of Course I Still Love You platform. #demo1 #CrewDragon pic.twitter.com/AtKqWLYriU
— Irene Sans (@IreneSans) March 2, 2019

This Falcon 9 rocket will be used again in the future, but the #CrewDragon will not be reused in future astronaut flights. #Demo1 #LaunchDay @SpaceX pic.twitter.com/K2ZfsEwWXe
— Irene Sans (@IreneSans) March 2, 2019

#Demo1 launch is set for 2:49 a.m. from @NASAkennedy in Cape Canaveral, Florida. It’s an instantaneous window, which means that if, for whatever reason, the launch is aborted, the next opportunity to launch will be on Tuesday March 5 at 1:38 a.m. EST.#CrewDragon pic.twitter.com/IxMYpTLdeB
— Irene Sans (@IreneSans) March 2, 2019

The goal of this mission is to return orbital human spaceflight to the U.S.
Since 2011 @NASA astronauts launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in #Kazakhstan aboard Russian spacecrafts called #Soyuz. #CrewDragon #Demo1 #SpaceX @NASAKennedy #Launchday https://t.co/uDxL9FxYV4 pic.twitter.com/j40mxN3PLI
— Irene Sans (@IreneSans) March 2, 2019

March 2 | 2:55 a.m.:

Falcon 9 safely lands on the offshore platform called Of Course I Still Love You, a couple of miles frrom the East coast of Central Florida.

Falcon 9 booster has landed on the Of Course I Still Love You droneship—SpaceX’s 35th successful landing of a rocket booster pic.twitter.com/cDvKpoOwrq
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) March 2, 2019

March 2 | 2:49 a.m.:

Successful liftoff from Kennedy Space Center!

If the first stage lands tonight, SpaceX will have successfully landed 35 of its 69 launches, meaning that MORE THAN HALF of its rocket launches will have safely returned.
— Eric Berger (@SciGuySpace) March 2, 2019

YOU CAN’T MISS THIS!
About 9 minutes after lift-off @SpaceX #Falcon9 rocket is scheduled to land back on the “Of Course I Still Love You” platform located over the Atlantic Ocean, a couple hundred miles from Florida’s Central East Coast. #Demo1 pic.twitter.com/9cunCjIuDj
— Irene Sans (@IreneSans) March 2, 2019

March 2 | 2:47 a.m.:

Listening to the final count down, everything seems in order.

This Falcon 9 rocket will be used again in the future, but the #CrewDragon will not be reused in future astronaut flights. #Demo1 #LaunchDay @SpaceX pic.twitter.com/K2ZfsEwWXe
— Irene Sans (@IreneSans) March 2, 2019

March 2 | 2:30 a.m.:

Preparations are rolling to launch SpaceX's Crew Dragon from Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral. Launch is set for 2:49 a.m.

SpaceX update: propellant loading is underway. All systems still a “go” for a 2:49am launch from the Kennedy Space Center! pic.twitter.com/Gi7tKBxplP
— Ken Tyndall (@KenTyndallWFTV) March 2, 2019

March 1 | 10:30 a.m.: Social media influencers are getting an up-close-and-personal tour of Kennedy Space Center leading up to the Crew Dragon launch. They're posting photos and videos on social media with the hashtag #NASASocial.

Good morning from @NASAKennedy! Stay tuned for updates from the second day of our @NASASocial. You never know who or what we’re going to see 👀 before @SpaceX’s #CrewDragon spacecraft launches tomorrow! Follow our Twitter list, too! https://t.co/gHsagBpgOp pic.twitter.com/M9SSNKHUxl
— NASA Social (@NASASocial) March 1, 2019

It’s day 1 of our #NASASocial here at @NASAKennedy as @NASA & @SpaceX prepare to #LaunchAmerica from U.S. soil! 🚀 Stay tuned for updates from our tours and follow along virtually: https://t.co/gHsagBpgOp pic.twitter.com/xhAyBobMRV
— NASA Social (@NASASocial) February 28, 2019

March 1 | 7:30 a.m.: NASA said the weather forecast for the launch remains at 80 percent favorable for "go."

We are L-1 from the launch of @SpaceX #CrewDragon from Pad 39A and weather remains at 80-percent "go" 🚀 Launch is scheduled for March 2 at 2:49 a.m. EST. #LaunchAmerica https://t.co/bOB3gSr3Os pic.twitter.com/sGVc6Oe0Cn
— NASA's Kennedy Space Center (@NASAKennedy) March 1, 2019

Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX, also tweeted a photo offering an inside look at "Ripley," the dummy who will ride into space on the Crew Dragon capsule on Saturday.

Ripley pic.twitter.com/Z9Ztram8Ai
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 1, 2019

ORIGINAL STORY: The stage is set for a historic launch from the Space Coast.

In less than 24 hours, SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule is set for liftoff from Kennedy Space Center. The next time it does so, it’s scheduled to be carrying astronauts.

Saturday at 2:49 a.m. will be the first time a commercially built spaceship designed to carry astronauts will launch to the International Space Station.

TRENDING NOW:

"Some time this summer they'll put people in it for the first time and we will get Americans back into space," said Dale Ketcham with Space Florida.

Locals on Merritt Island agreed that a rocket carrying people would bring back an excitement they haven't felt on the Space Coast since NASA launched its last shuttle Atlantis on July 8, 2011.

Since NASA shut down its shuttle program in 2011, it's had to buy seats on Russian capsules. That costs roughly $80 million per trip.

READ: 9 things to know about SpaceX’s Crew Dragon launch

If successful, the Crew Dragon Capsule would lower costs and make it possible for astronauts to launch again from American soil.

Stay tuned to Eyewitness News for lives updates from the launchpad.

You can watch from home right here on WFTV.com, live on Channel 9, on the WFTV app and on WFTV’s Facebook page.